Beekeeping Queen Rearing Timeline Calculator
Created by: Sophia Bennett
Last updated:
Plan your queen rearing schedule with precision. Enter your graft date and get a complete timeline showing key milestones from cell building through mated, laying queens.
What is a Queen Rearing Timeline Calculator?
A queen rearing timeline calculator helps beekeepers plan and track the queen development process from grafting to mated, laying queen. Understanding the precise timing of each developmental stage is essential for scheduling your apiary activities and ensuring you're ready for each critical milestone.
From the moment you graft a larva or identify a queen cell, a predictable sequence of events unfolds. This calculator generates your complete schedule so you know exactly when to transfer cells, prepare mating nucs, and check for laying queens.
Queen Development Stages
Egg Stage: Days 1-3 - Queen-destined egg develops
Larva Stage: Days 4-8 - Fed royal jelly, rapid growth, cell capped around day 8-9
Pupa Stage: Days 9-16 - Metamorphosis inside capped cell
Virgin Queen: Day 16 - Emerges, matures over 5-7 days
Mating Flights: Days 20-26 - Takes orientation and mating flights
Laying: Days 25-35 - Begins laying after successful mating
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to raise a queen bee from egg to mated queen?
From egg to mated, laying queen takes approximately 29-35 days: 3 days as egg, 5.5 days as larva, 7.5 days as pupa (emerges day 16), then 5-7 days to mature before mating flights, followed by 2-5 days to begin laying. Weather can extend the mating period significantly.
What is the best time of year for queen rearing?
The optimal queen rearing season is during strong nectar flows with abundant drones available for mating, typically late spring through early summer in most climates. In temperate regions, this is usually May through July. Avoid queen rearing during dearths or when drone populations are low.
What is grafting in queen rearing?
Grafting is the process of transferring very young larvae (12-24 hours old) from worker cells into specially prepared queen cups. The larvae are gently lifted using a grafting tool and placed into cups containing a drop of royal jelly or diluted honey.
How many queens can I raise from one cell builder colony?
A strong cell builder colony can typically raise 15-30 quality queen cells at one time. Overcrowding cells leads to smaller, lower-quality queens. For best results, limit batches to what the cell builder can adequately feed - typically 20-25 cells for a very strong colony.
What is the difference between a cell builder and a cell finisher?
A cell builder is a queenless colony that starts queen cells, accepting grafted larvae and beginning to construct and feed queen cells. A cell finisher is typically a queenright colony that completes the queen cell development.
Sources and References
- Laidlaw, H.H. & Page, R.E., "Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding", Wicwas Press
- University of California Davis Bee Lab, "Queen Development Timeline"
- Morse, R.A., "Rearing Queen Honey Bees", Cornell University