Queen Rearing for the Sustainable Apiary
Queen Bee The Foraging Bee
Born to Lead
Queen Rearing for the Sustainable Apiary
There’s something majestic about a honeybee queen.
She’s not born into royalty by lineage.
She’s made—crafted by her sisters, fed a diet of rich royal jelly, and nurtured in the most abundant corners of the hive.
And at The Foraging Bee, we believe every beekeeper should know how to raise one.
Because when you understand how queens are made, you’re not just watching a hive grow—you’re building a legacy.
Why Raise Your Own Queens?
Most beekeepers start with store-bought packages and queens flown in from faraway climates. But imported queens often:
Struggle to survive BC winters
Lack mite resistance
Fail to thrive on local forage
Age quickly due to commercial rearing stress
Raising your own queens means:
Local genetics, locally adapted
Stronger overwintering success
Greater control over temperament, productivity, and health
Zero reliance on commercial suppliers
It’s about self-sufficiency, resilience, and learning to work with the rhythm of the hive—not against it.
The Swarm Cell Secret
At The Foraging Bee, we take our cues from nature.
The best queens? They’re raised in swarm cells.
Why?
Because swarm cells are created under ideal conditions:
Colonies are thriving—not stressed
Nurse bees are abundant
Queen larvae are bathed in royal jelly
Queens are raised from eggs onward, not as an afterthought
These queens are:
Larger
Longer-lived
More fertile
Better mated
And fully in tune with their colony
We replicate this process in our queen-rearing system using nucleus colonies, grafting techniques, and local breeder queens that have proven themselves through real seasons—not just spreadsheets.
A Seasonal Approach to Queen Rearing
Here’s how it works, season by season:
Spring
Identify and evaluate breeder queens
Begin grafting once drones are flying
Use strong colonies as cell builders
Start your first round of mating nucs
Summer
Monitor mated queens for laying patterns
Requeen struggling hives
Create overwintering nucs with fresh queens
Repeat grafting to maintain stock
Fall
Feed and wrap your nucs
Select your best queens for next year’s breeders
Reflect on performance and plan for spring
Winter
Plan equipment, review records, and educate
Prepare for next season’s queen-rearing cycle
This isn’t factory farming—it’s foraging-based beekeeping. And it’s the kind of work that makes you fall in love with the bees all over again.
Connect | Explore | Sustain
At The Foraging Bee, we don’t just raise queens—we raise beekeepers.
And we’re here to help you do the same.
Whether you're just getting started or looking to deepen your understanding of sustainable beekeeping, we invite you to:
🐝 Attend our workshops
🐝 Book a keynote with Mentor Beekeeper Mark Vanderende
🐝 Join us for The Hive Awakening—our signature talk on regenerative apiary management
🐝 Subscribe to our Edu-🐝 video series
🐝 Follow along @foragingbee for seasonal updates
Let’s Raise Better Bees—Together
Queen rearing is more than a technique—it’s a calling.
It’s the heart of a sustainable apiary, and the spark behind every thriving hive.
Ready to build your future queens?
Let’s awaken your hive.
👉 Book a talk, workshop, or 1:1 mentorship today at www.theforagingbee.ca
📩 Email info@theforagingbee.ca
📸 Follow us on Instagram: @foragingbee
The next great queen is waiting to be raised.
Let’s give her the royal treatment she deserves.