Advanced Queen Breeding Workshop
The Queen Breeding workshop will guide beekeepers through the theoretical and practical application of developing a program for breeding and the selection of favourable genetics to improve their honey bee stock. Instruction through this workshop will provide interested beekeepers and existing breeders with formal training to adopt breeding components and skills practiced in the Ontario Resistant Honey Bee Selection Program (ORHBS). Workshop attendees will learn about assessing and selecting for characteristics including: overwintering ability, spring build-up, low defensive behaviour, honey production, comb stability, hygienic behaviour, tracheal mite resistance, and queen longevity. In addition, the assessment of observational hive characteristics and application of selection spreadsheets will be applied to bee breeding. This workshop will provide training for new breeders and expansion of existing breeding programs to ensure high quality honey bee stock is available for Ontario’s beekeeping industry.
Having completed the original Queen Rearing workshop is a prerequisite for this workshop. Having equivalent experience and familiarity with queen rearing processes will be considered.
Introductory Hands-on Workshops
Interested in learning about bees but not becoming a beekeeper? Introduction to Beekeeping is the course for you!
Brand new and trying to figure out if beekeeping is for you? Check out the Introduction to Beekeeping!
New but jumping right into things and getting bees this year? Take both Introduction to Beekeeping and Pest Management for Beekeeping to make sure you have all the info you need to get started!
Have you been around bees or have bees yourself and need a hand keeping them healthy? Take Pest Management for Beekeeping!
Experienced beekeeper looking for a refresher on pests, diseases, and treatments? Pest Management for Beekeeping is for you!
Experience beekeeper looking to develop a new skill? Try Queen Rearing this year!
