Queen Rearing

Once the larvae have been grafted into the queen cell cups, they are placed in the queen cell protectors, which are then placed in the hive or nuc box. The colony will then begin to rear the new queen, providing her with food, care, and protection until she emerges as a mature queen. The process of rearing a new queen usually takes around 10-14 days. Once the new queen emerges, she will mate with drones from other colonies, and once she has mated and started laying eggs, she can be introduced into a full-sized colony. This process of rearing new queens helps to maintain the strength and health of the colony, ensuring that they are well-equipped to face challenges and continue to thrive.