NIHBS Queen Rearing Group Scheme Aims and Objectives
Aims and Objectives
The aims of the groups are as below:-
- To establish groups of 10 or more who wish to learn the skills needed to carry out their own queen-rearing proficiently.
- Assist the groups by mentoring and tuition to achieve the same.
- Help the groups to manage themselves efficiently to their best advantage.
- Ensure that the groups have good-quality genetic material to breed from.
- Make sure that the groups have the correct equipment to carry out the task and to advise them on its use.
- At the end of the scheme, the beekeepers involved will have sufficient skills and proficiency to pass on these to others in the future.
The objectives of the scheme are:-
- That each member will become proficient in queen rearing.
- The group will reach pre-set goals throughout the duration of the scheme (2+ years)
- The members will be able to continue queen rearing after the end of the scheme.
- Excess queens will be raised in year one for donations to local keepers to raise the quality of their bees in the area.
- Queens will continue to be raised in year two with a view to distributing to the public.
- The knowledge gained will be passed on to others in the future.
- The groups will be able in part to assist in the setting up of future groups (year three)
- The genetic stocks of the native Irish honeybee will be improved in the areas around the locality of the groups.
- More queens will be available for sale nationwide in the coming years.
- To enable the groups and their associations to become self-sufficient in the provision of native bees and queens.
- For the groups to participate in a survey to attempt to gain meaningful data in an attempt to understand queen rearing/fertilisation with respect to the geology and weather in the areas around the mating sites.
- Form a NIHBS conservation area around their mating area and further afield if possible
As of 19/03/23
