NWIABKA Association Meeting
Topic: The Principles & Practices of On the Spot (OTS) Queen Rearing
Guest Speaker: Phil Breed, VP of Siouxland Beekeepers & OTS Practitioner
Sunday, June 22,2025 2-4:30 pm Dickinson County (ISU) Extension and Outreach Office, 1600 15th Street, Spirit Lake, IA
Class Description from Phil:
“Ready to be a small-scale beekeeper ASAP (As Sustainable As Possible)?
Whether you manage one hive or several, a key component is viable queen accessibility. Even better are queens from your own local stock. Shortly after July 4th is an ideal time of year for the 43rd parallel in the Northern Hemisphere (that us!) to raise late summer queens for overwintering. Learn Mel Disselkoen’s technique of OTS (On the Spot) queen rearing.This will be a hands-on (bee free) active demonstration on the basics of OTS with options incorporating techniques from G. Demaree and L.E. Snelgrove. No grafting tools or experience needed. Minimal disruption to our colonies. Increased probabilities of winter survival and maintaining the numbers of colonies desired.”
Management on the Spot (MOS): Queen Bee Rearing
- Managing supercedure cells – please refer to the attachment: “Help! I need a queen” by Dr. Meghan Milbrath
- Managing Varroa mites – please refer to the attachment: “Resources for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Varroa Mite Control” by Cornell University
- Managing Varroa mites – please refer to the attachment: “Tools for Varroa Management” by Honey Bee Health Coalition (HBHC), website link: honey bee health coalition.org.
- Managing Varroa mites – please refer to the attachment – “Methods to Control Varroa Mites: An Integrated Pest Management Approach” by Penn State Extension
- A Varroa mite sampling and treatment record sheet will be available at the meeting.
- Drone Varroa trap foundation will be available at $4/frame – please pay by check or exact cash
- Pro-formic and Apiguard treatments will be available for sale – watch for a posting of costs per treatment on Friday
- Q & A from your bee yards
Happy Beekeeping!!
