Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[LoCo]

what is the most simplest method of queen rearing and can it be done in a horizontal hive?

[BridgetB]

The simplest method is to allow the hive to swarm and catch the swarm.

[Barbara]

Bridget is right from a bees point of view, the simplest method is to leave them to raise their own queens as and when they need them.
I would assume that you are wanting to raise extra queens for some reason? Perhaps an insurance policy against a colony ending up queenless?

In that case, you would be looking to make up a nuc either with a queen cell or get the bees to raise emergency queens. Obviously it needs to be done at the right time of year which is why it's best to use queen cells the bees have made themselves rather than forcing them by making them queenless, but you have to time it right. I guess it really depends on what your goals are.

I personally never think of raising queens except for the odd time when I have done a trap out and used a frame of brood from another hive to bait the foragers, who then raise an emergency queen from the brood.
My own colonies swarm multiple times each season so they always have new queens.

[LoCo]

The reason i ask is that i am inspired by the black bee project. i started beekeeping because i wanted to help bees in the uk, like you barbara i leave my bees to swarm unless ive made a split due to winter losses. But i feel i can do more to help our British bees by rearing queens to increase my stock hives and if i have the majority of beehives in my area and there all black bee or as close to being black bee, the majority of drones in the area will be black bees, especially if the (modern beeks) are culling there drones. thus any feral swarms should then bee black bees or as close to being. thats what im thinking anyways

[rmcpb]

Simpilist method is a walk away split. Just divide your hive making sure the half with no queen has eggs. Put in a divider board if in the same hive and the bees will do the rest. Make sure the split without the queen is the strongest one and in the old place. The foragers will return to it making it stronger and allow time for the new queen to be raised. The half with the queen will recover quite quickly as she will keep laying. Make sure you do this when plenty of drones are available.

Cheers
Rob.

[zaunreiter]

Make use of swarm cells: http://www.biobees.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14937