SOP · BREEDING
Queen-Rearing & Grafting
ActiveBreedingRev B
Purpose
To govern the deliberate rearing of replacement and improvement queens through larval grafting, cell-builder management, and mating control. The procedure ensures genetic provenance, queen quality, and traceable lineage across the breeding program.
Scope
All queen production from selected breeder colonies through to mated, laying queens.
In scope:
- Larval grafting from selected breeder lines
- Cell-builder colony preparation and management
- Mating nuc setup and queen mating control
- Lineage and performance record keeping
Out of scope:
- Cryogenic storage of drone semen, which follows Cryo Gamete Banking & Preservation
- Quarantine of imported breeder stock, which follows Specimen Accession & Biosecurity Quarantine
Definitions
Grafting
The transfer of young worker larvae into artificial queen cups to be raised as queens.
Cell Builder
A strong, queenless colony conditioned to accept and nurse grafted queen cells.
Mating Nuc
A small colony used to house a virgin queen until she mates and begins laying.
Responsibilities
Breeding Program Lead (Owner)
Owns the procedure, selects breeder lines, and approves queens for release into production.
Grafting Technician
Performs grafting, manages cell builders, and tracks cell acceptance and emergence.
Apiary Health Officer
Screens breeder lines for disease and confirms stock is quarantine-cleared before use.
Procedure
Breeder Selection & Grafting
- Select breeder lines against documented performance and health criteria.
- Graft larvae under twelve hours old into clean queen cups.
- Record the breeder source and graft batch identifier.
Cell Building
- Introduce grafts to a conditioned, well-fed cell-builder colony.
- Verify cell acceptance at twenty-four hours and cull poor cells.
- Transfer ripe cells to incubation or mating nucs before emergence.
Mating & Evaluation
- Install virgin queens into prepared mating nucs.
- Confirm mating success by observed laying and brood pattern.
- Evaluate, mark, and record each queen against her lineage before release.
PPE & Controls
Bee suit and veilFine grafting toolMagnification visor
Records Generated
- Graft batch and acceptance log
- Queen lineage and performance record
- Mating nuc tracking sheet
References
- Cryo Gamete Banking & Preservation
- Specimen Accession & Biosecurity Quarantine
- HIVE Breeding Program Charter
Revision History
| Rev | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A | 2091-01-20 | Initial release of grafting and cell-builder procedure. |
| B | 2091-03-05 | Added breeder health-screening prerequisite and queen marking. |