Production of queen bees and royal cells

Like every year, we reap the benefits of a long and patient work. In the image you can see the new real cells of 2021 produced by Apicoltura Laterza.

Raising queens bees independently

In beekeeping, experience is always what pays off the most. When you start being a breeder, you don't really know this type of job that really takes time to develop certain skills.

In the evolution of every good beekeeper, you learn over time to understand the world of bees better and better.

After careful observation, the most experienced beekeepers are able to identify and select the best and most efficient hives. Taking a cue from the latter, you can maximize the productivity level of the rest of the swarms, trying to transfer mechanisms and behaviors to other groups of bees as well.

In particular, by observing and fully understanding the behavior of the most performing hives, it is possible to intervene in a more adequate way by identifying the best strains to reproduce.

When one is so expert, satisfactory results are obtained, the bees bred have very specific genetic characteristics, furthermore waiting times and expenses are reduced, we explain why:

When beekeepers need queen bees or cores and swarms, they rely on third parties through the purchase of bees. This is an excellent solution but a good level of experience allows you to produce the queen bees yourself.

Apicoltura Laterza has efficiently developed this skill.

Waiting for the normal natural production of real cells by bees requires different times, which is why we have learned to develop real cells and queen bees in a completely autonomous way, achieving very high quality results.

How real cells are created

As a primary element for the production of real cells there are obviously the bees themselves.

The production of quality real cells is the first condition for having quality queens.

Obviously, the procedure is full of highly technical interventions and steps that we will not list but we will try to understand, as a whole, how to exploit the instincts of bees for the production of real cells.

The natural behaviors of bees move around clear and precise mechanisms. Their unstoppable survival instinct allows them to be very hardworking but above all organized.

Knowing fully how they work, we know very well that every swarm necessarily needs a queen bee for its entire group survival.

Queen bees are the only bees in whole hives capable of being fertile. The succession of the bee family depends solely on the procreation of new larvae by the queen through the deposition of eggs in the cells.

This information allows us to make the best use of their matural instincts. Like?

It will be enough for us to provide for the orphaning of a swarm. To make a swarm an orphan, the queen bee is excluded from the chosen swarm.

The survival intuition will immediately lead the bees to produce new real cells for the consequent birth of new queen bees. This is a certain behavior. The bees will immediately provide for the construction of special cells for the replacement of the missing queen with new births.

To stimulate an optimal production of real cells, it is also important to provide a correct load of nutrients to incentivize the bees which will work at their full strength.

Approximately after ten days we will be able to notice the presence of numerous real sealed cells naturally produced by our bees.

Collection of cells and incubator

Usually three to four days after their closure, the royal cells are taken by the beekeepers.

After collection, the cells are transferred to special incubators that will allow optimal maturation of the cell and development of the larva.

The use of incubators must obviously be monitored. Switching on is recommended already the day before use and by setting the most suitable temperature.

The real cells will therefore end their entire development cycle there. The cells will remain in the incubator until the day before the young queen's birth. Inside the incubator, a tray with water will also be placed to ensure the right level of humidity in the air.

In this way, new virgin queen bees will develop.

The new queens can then be introduced into the nuclei. This usually occurs within the first four days of birth.

Buy queen bees

Buying queen bees from Apicoltura Laterza means buying high quality bees.

We have virgin and fertile queen bees of both Buckfast and Ligustica breeds. We also deal with the sale of swarms, family packs and nuclei. All of our production!

Our bees are highly selected and raised following precise genetic standards. Our swarms are strong, productive and hardy.

You will receive with each order a certificate attesting to its perfect state of health.

To purchase, simply select the appropriate section: Queen Bees, click on the product indicating the period in which you want to receive the order! Finally, complete the purchase by entering your details or, Contact us!