Controlled mating of queens is a costly task that requires high skill/knowledge and labor if your using the II process. I have been researching controlled natural mating and came across “Beekeeping Up-To-Date" by Joseph Tinsley first printed 1945, published by E H Taylor (included the pages from the book into the post attachments). Basically, the author suggests an almost pure cross can be achieved by stocking the mating nuc with drones from the stock you wish to cross along with the virgin queen and nurse bees. The author does no say how it was determined that the cross was successful (genotyping?). This process of controlled mating seems to be easy enough that any beekeeper could follow.

 I found two more recent articles, see links below for the PDF, (Afterhours: Controlled Natural Mating By Hogg 1991 and Controlled Mating of the Honeybee By Oxley et al 2009)  that note using the same method but restricting the hours for mating to only after the other drones/queens in the yard have concluded their mating flights for the day. This yielded about an 85% cross of the drone genetics used to stock the mating nuc. This was confirmed using genotyping. This would be more time consuming but still relatively easy if you had close access to your mating yard.

http://www.twilightmd.com/Samples/Hogg/Hogg_Halfcomb___Publications/ABJ_1991_1May.pdf

http://carnica.bayern/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/J-Hered-2010-Oxley-334-8.pdf

So, here are my questions: Has anyone used the methods described by these three authors? Does anyone have additional data that can be shared? 

 If successful, this would be a low-cost option for all beekeepers to create accurate crosses and develop new lines of bees without the II process. This could prove extremely useful with creating new VSH stock.

 -Trevor



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