Long-Term Storage of Queen Honeybees in Reservoir Colonies

Abstract

SummaryThe survival of virgin and mated queens in queenless and queenright reservoir colonies was studied during different seasons in a subtropical climate, for 5 years.In queenless reservoir colonies, 80% of mated queens survived for 5 months. In queenright reservoir colonies with two laying queens, 78% of mated queens survived for 2 months. In queenless or queenright compartments within queenright reservoir colonies, 69 to 91% of virgin queens survived for 5 months. About 78% of mated queens stored in a super with a laying queen, above a queenright brood nest, survived for 2 months.No seasonal differences in queen survival were observed, but an ample supply of young bees was necessary, also protection from heat and cold, and syrup feeding after the main citrus flow ended.Uses of reservoir colonies for storing queens for laboratory studies, for requeening commercial colonies, and for dealing with management problems, are set out.