Productivity trials for the combination queen rearing nucleus and comb honey hive

View the project final report

• 2006 annual report

Commodities

• Animals: bees

Practices

• Animal Production: housing
• Education and Training: demonstration, extension
• Farm Business Management: agricultural finance

Beehives with young queens overwinter dramatically better and produce better honey crops, so it is to the advantage of northern beekeepers to requeen their hives annually. Yet few beekeepers in the Northeast raise their own queens, and there are few sources of queens raised from northern stock. This project will test a special-purpose beehive designed for raising queens in the spring and early summer, producing comb honey during the summer months, and improving overwintering of the hive. Outreach will be through presentations, articles, and a web site.