Assessing the mating quality of Australian queen bees

The University of Sydney

  • Project code: PRJ-009757

  • Project stage: Closed

  • Project start date: Tuesday, September 1, 2015

  • Project completion date: Monday, April 30, 2018

  • National Priority: HBE-Improve hive productivity with innovative pest and disease control, feeding, breeding, and automation solutions

Program

Honey Bee

Research Organisation

The University of Sydney

Objective Summary

Goal: determine whether Australian colony productivity is constrained by inadequate mating

Objectives:

1) Assess typical mating frequencies of commercial-purchased queens in spring and late summer
2) Assess the genetic variability among the males that mated with the queens
3) Determine whether “more is better”