June 22 & 23, 2022

Ready to take beekeeping to the next level? For those of you who already have a working foundation in beekeeping, the WSU bee team is offering an event to introduce you to fundamental tools for stock improvement. This workshop is designed to improve your understanding of queen rearing, bee breeding systems and selection methods through a combination of presentations and hands-on demonstrations. We will also introduce you to the more advanced techniques of instrumental insemination and cryopreservation.

Instructors: Susan Cobey, Brandon Hopkins, Steve Sheppard, Nick Naeger, and Jennifer Han. We will also have outstanding guest speakers.

Register Online
Registration Fee: $300.00
Location:  Washington State University, Pullman campus
Plan on two all-day meetings.  The time of day and schedule of activities will be sent with your registration confirmation.

THE ART OF QUEEN REARING – WSU COURSE SYLLABUS

Wednesday, June 22

Entomology Classroom FSHN 354

8:00 – 8:30      Coffee, Snacks and Introductions

8:30 – 9:30      Lecture – Principals of Queen & Drone Rearing

9:45 – 12:00     Field location (tbd)

Setting Up Cell Builders

Queen-Less & Queen-Right  Rearing Systems

Evaluating Drone Maturity

12:15 – 1:15   Lunch

Ensminger Pavilion

1:30 – 4:00   Workshops  –

Grafting Queen Cells

Marking & Clipping Queens

Demonstration  – Instrumental Insemination

4:00 – 5:00   Wrap Up  Discussion & Question & Answers

Thursday,  June 23  

Entomology Classroom FSHN 354

8:00 – 8:30      Coffee, Snacks and Introductions

8:30 – 9:30      Lecture – Honey Bee Mating Biology

9:45 – 12:00     Field location (tbd)

Evaluating Queen Reproductive Status

Incubating and Banking Queen Cells

Handling & Introducing Queen Cells

Nucleus colonies

12:15 – 1:15   Lunch

1:30 – 2:30  Classroom – Exploring CB Systems, Situations & Troubleshooting

Wrap Up  & Question & Answers