Queen Rearing Made Easy: The Punched Cell Method by Roger Patterson

Queen Rearing Made Easy: The Punched Cell Method by Roger PattersonRaising queens using the Punched Cell method has been in use for over a century. Richard Smailes published "Raise Your Own Queens by the Punched Cell Method" about half a century ago. Little has been published since. Few have continued to practice the method. Its time to learn something old to help keep the craft of beekeeping alive. Small scale queen rearing is needed more than ever to overcome the increasing number of queen imports into the UK and

Raising queens using the Punched Cell method has been in use for over a century. Richard Smailes published "Raise Your Own Queens by the Punched Cell Method" about half a century ago. Little has been published since. Few have continued to practice the method. It’s time to learn something old to help keep the craft of beekeeping alive.

Small-scale queen rearing is needed more than ever to overcome the increasing number of queen imports into the UK and their genetic impact on the locally adapted and native bees. For many, weak eyes and trembling hands make the idea of larval transfer via grafting a worrying challenge, especially when the larva is separated from its royal jelly and the potential princess bee is often bumped unceremoniously into a plastic cup of some kind.

The Punched Cell method does not separate the larva from its food, it is not moved from its original wax cell and it is not touched in any way during the whole process. Good light is not even needed; indeed, the whole process can be easily performed on the hive roof in the apiary.

This practical book covers the history, methods and examples of how every beekeeper can have their own sustainable supply of quality queens for many years to come.