> I would like to know the way to raise queens for a hobby beekeeper.

This method is one that Norm Rice, one of Australia's best queen bee
breeders (now retired), suggests.

Take a strong double hive that has a queen excluder in place.

Take two or three frames of young larvae from the bottom box, shake the bees
back into the bottom box.

Put empty combs back in the bottom and remove three or four frames from the
top super and place the two or three frames of young brood in the top box.

Place a bar of cell cups in the empty space in the top super.  Put back
together.

The next day, remove the top super, and place a couple of sheets of
newspaper on top of the queen excluder and punch a couple of small holes in
the newspaper.  Replace the top box.

Take out your bar of cell cups and graft your selected larvae into them.
Place back on hive.

Ten days later your cells will be ready to place out in mating nucs or in
demareed hives.

Trevor Weatherhead
AUSTRALIA

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