In cooperation with the PA Queen Improvement Project and Burgh Bees, a field day has been planned that will provide an outstanding educational opportunity and daughter queens reared from instrumentally inseminated queens of Purdue improved genetic stock (AKA: Leg Chewers). This event is limited to 50 participants as we expect a large number of interested beekeepers. Due to the anticipated interest in this event, we are requesting that you complete a simple questionnaire that will help us select participants with the best potential to overwinter the queens, propagate the genetics, and meet the overall goals of the PA Queen Improvement Project. We do not want to discourage anyone with interest from applying, so please apply if you are interested! While there are challenges in raising new genetics and propagating these queens, the field day will provide training to increase everyone’s chance of success.
The plan for the field day is for participants to bring one or two 5 frame nucs to the field day, participate in educational sessions, and install the virgin queens. The nucs will remain on site surrounded by apiaries with known quality genetics for the virgin queens to be mated. When the queens are mated and laying, participants will be scheduled to pick up the nucs. Prior to the field day, there will be a workshop on creating strong queenless nucs to ensure that participants show up at the field day with nucs ready to accept virgin queens.
Schedule:
Creating Queenless Nucs Workshop: 25 June; 10 AM – 12 PM
Queen Improvement Field Day: 8 July; 8 AM – 5 PM
Nuc Pick Up: Weekend of 29 July (scheduled as queens start laying)
Program: The 50 participants will attend a few sessions as a group, but for most sessions the 50 participants will be divided into four groups rotating through the training blocks. Lunch is included.
Planned topics include:
PA Queen Improvement Project and Participant Feedback: Jeff Berta
Building Up Colonies for Winter Survival: Charlie Vorisek
Propagation of Queens: Joe Kovaleski/Dan O’Hanlon
Mite Sampling & Mites Under the Microscope: Jeff Berta
Nuc Inspection and Installing Virgin Queens: Steve Repasky
Location: The Creating Queenless Nucs and Queen Improvement Field Day will be held at the Fern Hollow Nature Center, 1901 Glen Mitchel Rd, Sewickley, PA.
Cost: $25 includes the Creating Queenless Nucs Workshop, the queen Improvement Field Day, and 1 virgin queen for 1 nuc For an additional $15, participants are able to bring a second queenless nuc and receive a 2nd virgin queen. (Limit is 2 nucs per participant)
Click below to access the application for this event. The application process will close on 30 April. Applicants will be notified of acceptance and given a link for online confirmation and payment of the registration fee.
We look forward to receiving your application.
