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Beekeeping in Northern Climates  <br />Queens <br />Development <br />The developmental time of the queen is shorter than <br />WKRVHRIWKHZRUNHUVRUGURQHVWDNLQJDSSUR[LPDWHO\ <br />GD\VIURPWKHWLPHDQHJJLVODLGXQWLODQDGXOW <br />TXHHQHPHUJHV 7DEOH  <br />DEVELOPMENT TIME IN DAYS <br />Brood stage Queen Worker Drone <br />Egg     <br />Larval stage (open brood)    <br />Pupal stage (sealed brood)    <br />Total    <br />7KHDGXOWTXHHQLVHDVLO\LGHQWL¿HGZLWKH[SHULHQFH <br />VLQFHVKHLVORQJHUWKDQDZRUNHURUGURQHDQGKHU <br />DEGRPHQH[WHQGVZHOOEH\RQGKHUZLQJV )LJXUH  <br />6KHLVDUHSURGXFWLYHO\FRPSOHWHIHPDOHZLWKZHOO <br />developed ovaries and a sperm storage organ called <br />the spermatheca. A virgin queen will normally mate <br />ZLWKGURQHVRQRQHRUWZRPDWLQJÀLJKWVWKDW <br />DUHXVXDOO\WDNHQZLWKLQVHYHQGD\VRIKHUHPHUJHQFH <br />from her queen cell. Mating occurs in the air and at <br />a distance from the colony to avoid inbreeding and <br />promote outcrossing with a variety of drones from the <br />vicinity. After mating, the queen returns and remains <br />ZLWKKHUFRORQ\IXQFWLRQLQJFKLHÀ\DVDQHJJOD\LQJ <br />machine until her death. She does not mate again. <br />$JRRGTXHHQLQ0LQQHVRWDZLOOOD\DWOHDVW <br />eggs per day during the colony’s growing season. <br />This tremendous egg production is made possible by <br />the high protein diet of glandular secretions that is <br />SURYLGHGWRWKHTXHHQE\KHUZRUNHUDWWHQGDQWV <br />Queens <br />$TXHHQEHHFDQOLYH\HDUVEXWPRVW <br />queens do not perform well after two winters <br />due to aging and sperm depletion. For this <br />reason, we strongly recommend you follow <br />WKHPDQDJHPHQWV\VWHPLQWKLVERRNZKLFK <br />is designed to ensure a young queen is <br />always present in your colony. <br />7DEOH$SSUR[LPDWHGHYHORSPHQWDOWLPHRIHDFKVWDJHIRUWKH <br />three castes. <br />Biology Box <br />)LJXUH$TXHHQEHHPDUNHGZLWKDUHGSDLQWGRWDQGZRUNHUEHHV7KHFRPEEHORZWKHPFRQWDLQVODUYDODQGSXSDOEURRG <br /> SKRWRE\-XG\*ULHVHGLHFN