Importance of a Queen Bee
A queen bee is vital as the only fully developed breeding female in a colony. More eggs from her mean more worker bees collecting more honey, making colony productivity rely on her.
Comparison of Queen Bee Size
She is larger than worker bees – about 2 cm versus 1 cm. Virgin queens are slightly smaller as their reproductive system is still developing.
Acquiring a Queen Bee
You can buy queen bees online for $25-$100 plus shipping. Price depends on factors like health, genetics and availability. An existing queen can be replaced if old or unproductive.
To get a new queen, workers choose female larvae and feed them royal jelly to trigger their development into queens. Nurse bees feed 10-20 newly hatched females strictly royal jelly, turning on their reproductive system and turning them into queens.
A good queen impacts colony health and productivity, setting the standard for disease resistance and honey production. Buying a mated queen from a reputable breeder costs $30-$50 on average. Queens are available from September, but best to buy in October through early autumn.