Effect of rearing method and mating time on honeybee queen performance

Abstract

The study examined the characteristics of queen bees raised using the Dolittle method and natural queen cells. The average of number  sealed brood cells in the first and second years reached in the grafted queen rearing and mated in the spring season during the four seasons (Spring 1st, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring 2nd), during 2021 and 2022 year was 2888.6, 3199.5, 1721.5, 1077.2 and 2521.3 cells, and either in naturally reared queen was 2179.7, 2616.8, 1573.8, 903.3, and 2146.8 cells respectively. Also, queen rearing and mating  in the autumn season (Autumn, Winter, and Spring 2nd). The average of number sealed cells reached in the first and second years by  grafted was 1309.8, 735.7, and 1214.8 cells Consecutively, and either in naturally reared queen was 1125.9, 716.6 and 1122.1 cells. The  average body weight (mg) of virgin queens reared by grafted queens in the spring and autumn seasons was 202.9, and 194.2 mg,  respectively, and in the emergence (naturally) method it was 190.1, and 175.9 mg, respectively.