There are still seats available for the Illinois Queen Initiative queen rearing workshop on May 2

[Garry Grube]

 

New beekeepers don't know it but they are going to spend several times what they paid for that new bee package in replacement cost by not replacing the queen with a northern climate queen. I've done it, We've all done it. And it's time to break the cycle.

 

There is a real need for people who can produce and supply queens for replacement packages this summer. Springfield has been swamped with over 300 out of state packages much to concern of local queen breeders. The same situation is happening in the Chicago area after so many losses this Winter. The IQI has not been able to achieve its 2015 goal of educating producers who can supply more than 50% of the demand for queens in Illinois. Nor has it even come close to having a queen producing membership that can provide more than 20% of the demand for nucs or packages.

 

We need beekeepers who want to get involved with solving a real problem. If you have thought about getting more serious about your beekeeping then you should attend and prepare to make a difference.

 

The workshop is a co-sponsored event between the IQI and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Follow this link to the Illinois Queen Initiative class May 2 which will take you to the registration page. All registration via PayPal for this class handled by the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Accepting candidates that have 2 or more years of beekeeping. This is not a beginner course. $90 for non-members, $75 for IQI members. Join as a member and get the class at the reduced rate. You can pay your dues at the class.

The Illinois Queen Initiative is a non-profit education organization teaching beekeepers how to produce quality queens that will survive and thrive without chemicals to battle the influx of the Varroa mite.

Send your questions to Garry Grube at garry...@gmail.com

Garry Grube
Chicago Director
Illinois Queen Initiative

312-497-6407