Feeding in Queen Rearing

Queen bee nutrition products are the feeds used in queen rearing, transport and introduction: queen candy in the queen cage, syrup and pollen patties given to the starter and finisher colonies that rear queens, candy placed in the feeder compartment of mating nucs, and the royal jelly used in preparing cell cups. The queen is fed not by the beekeeper but by the worker bees; the real job of these products is to support the workers that will feed the queen and the developing queen larvae.

How is a queen bee fed?

From the larval stage onwards, the queen is fed throughout her life on royal jelly secreted by worker bees. A laying queen rarely takes honey from the comb on her own; young nurse bees feed her constantly. The queen's laying rate therefore depends on the food the colony can provide for her: as nectar and pollen come in from outside, the nurse bees produce more royal jelly and the queen lays more.

That is why “feeding the queen” in practice means feeding the colony. Feed given directly to the queen only comes into play in two situations: while she is being transported in a cage and while she is being introduced. All other products are given for the worker bees that feed the queen larvae and the queen.

What is queen cage candy?

Cage candy (queen candy, fondant) is a firm sugar paste packed tightly into a compartment of queen shipping and introduction cages. It has two jobs:

• Food for the journey: The attendant workers travelling with the queen in the cage feed on this candy and feed the queen.
• Slow release: When the cage is put into the colony, the colony's workers eat through the candy plug from outside. This takes a few days; during this time the colony gets used to the new queen's scent and the chance of acceptance increases.

Features of good cage candy

• Right consistency: Cage candy should be firmer than the winter fondant put in the hive. Candy that is too soft runs in the heat, sticks the bees together or drips onto the queen; candy that is too dry sets like stone, and the bees can neither eat nor open it.
• Clean ingredients: It is usually made by kneading pure icing sugar with a little invert syrup or honey. If honey is used, it must come only from healthy colonies and a reliable source; honey can carry American foulbrood spores. That is why honey-free candy is preferred in cages.
• Moisture balance: There is no separate water container in the cage; the bees get the moisture they need largely from the candy. As the candy dries out, the attendant bees struggle.

Using cage candy for introduction

Before the cage is put into the colony, the protective cover over the candy plug (cork, plastic cap or tape) is removed; the candy must be exposed. Some beekeepers make a thin hole in the candy to speed up the process; but emptying the candy completely can lead to the queen coming out too early and being rejected. The cage is wedged between two brood frames with the candy end accessible to the bees. It is checked a few days later: if the queen has been released and has started laying, the introduction has succeeded. How to give the queen to the colony is described in detail on the Queen Cages page.

Feeding the colonies that rear queens

Whether grafted larvae develop into good queens depends on how much royal jelly the colony feeding them can produce. That is why starter colonies (which accept the larvae) and finisher colonies (which complete the cells) need plenty of young nurse bees, plenty of pollen and a sense of continuous nectar coming in. If there is no natural flow, this environment is created by feeding:

1. Start feeding a few days before grafting: The nurse bees' glands take a few days to respond to incoming food.
2. Give thin syrup: Thin syrup (1:1) given in small amounts continuously gives the colony the impression of a flow and increases acceptance of the cups.
3. Provide protein: If there is no bee bread frame in the hive or pollen is scarce outside, give pollen patties. Royal jelly cannot be produced without protein.
4. Continue until the cells are capped: Feeding should not stop until the queen cells are capped; feeding stopped halfway produces small, weak queens.
5. Watch out for robbing: In colonies being fed continuously, reduce the entrance and give the syrup inside the hive.

Using royal jelly in preparing cell cups

Some breeders put a very small amount of royal jelly, usually diluted with water, in the bottom of the cup before transferring the larva (wet grafting); others graft directly into a dry cup (dry grafting). Wet grafting is thought to stop the larva drying out and to increase acceptance; however, how marked the difference between the two methods is varies from breeder to breeder. The royal jelly used should come from your own apiary and be fresh or stored frozen.

Feeding in mating nucs

The small mating nucs (mini mating hives) in which queens are mated are small communities of a few hundred to a few thousand bees. Such a small colony cannot guard or process liquid feed; syrup carries a risk of both drowning and robbing. That is why most of these boxes have a separate feeder compartment, and candy is put in it.

• Enough candy: When the box is stocked, put enough candy in the feeder compartment for the bees to use during the mating period.
• Do not leave the compartment empty: Bees build comb in an empty feeder compartment.
• Against robbing: Keep the entrance narrow; do not place the boxes right in front of strong hives.
• Water: In hot weather, a water source near the apiary makes it easier for small colonies to meet their water needs.

Is there a product that increases the queen's laying?

There is no reliable evidence for the effect of vitamin, mineral, hormone or “laying booster” mixtures sold “especially for queens”. The main factors determining a queen's laying rate are:

• the colony's nectar and especially pollen situation,
• the queen's age, health and mating quality,
• the availability of empty cells suitable for laying in the hive,
• season, day length and air temperature,
• the general health of the colony, especially the Varroa destructor load.

Rather than trying to “boost” a poorly laying queen with a product, first assess the colony's nutrition and health; if the problem lies with the queen, replacing her is the most lasting solution. The overall evidence on supplements is on the Nutritional Supplements and Vitamins page.

Comparison of queen nutrition products

Common mistakes

• Starting to feed after grafting: The nurse bees are not ready, so acceptance is low.
• Stopping feeding before the cells are capped: Small, underfed queens are reared.
• Honey of unknown origin in cage candy: Disease can be carried into the new colony along with the queen.
• Giving syrup to a mating nuc: The small colony can be lost to drowning and robbing.
• Relying on “laying booster” products: The real cause (nutrition, health, queen quality) is overlooked.