Queen Breeding Pedigree

[Hunajavelho]

This is how it works:

You count the ones you intend to breed from, both queen and drone lines!
Same goes for hygienic behaviour.

 

[B+.]

You count the ones you intend to breed from, both queen and drone lines!
Same goes for hygienic behaviour.

This is putting the cart before the horse!
You have to assess performance in order to decide which colonies to breed from. If you've already decided which colonies to breed from, the counting is pointless. Consciously, or subconsciously, you'll make allowances for favourite colonies so that they get the highest score.

 

[Hunajavelho]

This is putting the cart before the horse!
You have to assess performance in order to decide which colonies to breed from. If you've already decided which colonies to breed from, the counting is pointless. Consciously, or subconsciously, you'll make allowances for favourite colonies so that they get the highest score.

You misunderstood my point. If you have 200 or more hives, you don't do the count for all, you have some knowledge wich have the potential for breeding as you know there pedigrees and what to expect. So you can do the more time bearing controls for maybe 30-100 hives.

 

[B+.]

So you can do the more time bearing controls for maybe 30-100 hives.

True. It would be easier to manage a nucleus of breeding stock and treat the others as production stock. What do you use to identify those you will assess though?

 

[B+.]

For any of you planning to do mite counting this year, here's a copy of the forms I use (from AGT).
The first form captures data from the natural mite drop (Feb/March) and either the soapy water wash / powdered sugar tests
The second form captures data from the needle test

You might find these useful.

 

[Erichalfbee]

 

[B+.]

I suppose, for the sake of completeness, I should have posted the stock evaluation card I use too.
The card is very similar to the one shown in "Breeding Techniques and Selection for Breeding of the Honeybee" p54 but is really a translation from the appendix of "Selektion bei der Honigbiene"
The "General Findings" are as you find the colony, before you do anything to it.
There is background and an explanation of the scoring here http://coloss.org/beebook/I/queen-rearing/3/3

I also use the German program "Zucht-Buch", but, I wouldn't recommend this unless you have a good grasp of the German language as you can easily get lost with error message, etc

 

[Teemore]

Thanks for posting so much of what you work with and towards B+. It helps others who are improving their stocks also.

 

[B+.]

Thanks for posting so much of what you work with and towards B+. It helps others who are improving their stocks also.

Thats the idea ;-) Happy to help. There is loads more though.