On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 11:28:57 Isis Glass wrote:

"I searched for stats on the bee & queen industry and could find nothing
current. I doubt very much if ‘Most commercial beekeepers raise their own
queens’, since it is so much easier to buy them, but again -- no facts."

The National Agricultural Statistics Service trough each state's
department of agriculture surveys the industry through form O.M.B. 0535-
0153 for the following information:

(1) Each state in which honey is harvested.
(2) Number of colonies for all purposes.
(3) Number of colonies with honey harvested.
(4) Honey Production (pounds).
(5) Honey Stocks on Dec 15th.


This information is assimilated and published by the NASS. Links to these
publications have been given on BEE-L.

For a rough estimate of colonies used for raising queens which would also
include pollination activities  I suggest that you take Number (3) from
Number (2) to get a handle the “other” colonies not used for honey
harvesting.

Now, putting the above aside think about the pure economics involved in
queen raising versus queen or queen cell purchasing.  It is cheaper to
raise your own queens. Once you have recognized the costs for start-up the
rest is easy. Labor is cheap compared to the going price of a brick or
battery of 100 mail order queens. Example: Wilbanks Apiaries advertised
last spring  for quantities of 100 up at $10.00 a shot plus shipping. And,
they are available when you want them, not when the queen supplier will
have them.

I am not very efficient at producing my own queens compared to other queen
and package producers, yet the only time that I will order queens from the
south is for delivery prior to good flying weather.  I take certain steps
to assure a strong buildup of drone mother colonies as early as possible
in order for my own queens to get out and mate when conditions are
favorable. And I certainly can raise a 100 Russian or Minnesota Hygienic
queens for less than the $1000.00 plus shipping that it would take to
purchase one hundred very good production, gentle black tipped Georgia
Italian queens.

If a commercial beekeeper wants to stay in business he or she needs to
have an ample and continuous supply of queens or else he or she will lose
time, bees, money and honey. Day to day operations involve movement from
yard to yard, it costs too much to come back and requeen. It’s as simple
as that. Bob Harrison and a few others on this list have more years of
experience with bees than I will ever see, you can take what they have to
say to the bank, I savor their every word with interest.

Cheers,

Chuck Norton
Norton’s Nut & Honey Farm
Reidsville, NC

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