The Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture recently hosted a full day introductory queen production workshop for beekeepers across the Maritimes. This event brought together experienced beekeepers for a day focused on learning, discussion, and hands-on practice in both the classroom and apiary. This workshop exposed beekeepers to the basics of queen productions practices.

Review of the 2026 Queen Production Workshop

This past Wednesday, June 17^th the workshop took place in Bible Hill, combining classroom learning, hands-on demonstrations, and time in the apiary. Over the day, learners applied techniques discussed in class to practices in the apiary. This workshop reached full capacity, reflecting the strong interest in queen production in the Maritime region. Participation was offered to beekeepers with a minimum of three years of experience.

The morning portion of the workshop focused on the fundamentals of honey bee queen production in the Maritimes. The requirements for becoming a queen producer, the considerations involved in large-scale production, and the equipment and resources needed to support a successful queen rearing operation were discussed. This part of the training provided a strong foundation for understanding what influences grafting success and colony performance.

Figure 1: Students observing a cloake board colony (ATTTA ©, 2026)

Following the classroom session, the group transitioned outdoors. In the apiary, participants examined examples of suitable grafting frames from colonies. Students also viewed a prepared Cloake board set up and had opportunity to look at mating nucs. One of the highlights of the afternoon was the hands-on grafting practice. Participants had the choice of a Chinese, German or Swiss grafting tool to try grafting larvae.

Figure 2: Participants practicing grafting with various tools (ATTTA ©, 2026)

Throughout the day, beekeepers had the opportunity to ask questions, share knowledge and discuss their thoughts on queen production in the Maritimes. This event was a great introductory level course on queen rearing.

Overall, the event was a great success, and ATTTA was pleased to see such strong engagement from all three provinces. With a full waiting list and continued interest, ATTTA hopes to offer similar workshops in the future.

Written by Kaitlyn Newton, ATTTA Seasonal Apiculturist

Connecting with ATTTA Specialists

If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:

visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/

Email attta@perennia.ca

Last week the Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture spent a few days on Prince Edward Island visiting apiaries and connecting with beekeepers. The ATTTA team met with various beekeepers to discuss their season progress, and conducted honey bee health testing to help support island beekeepers. Read this week’s blog for a summary of the work ATTTA conducted on the island.

Review of PEI Beekeeper Meetings

During the first week of June ATTTA spent a few days visiting PEI beekeepers, and conducted honey bee health testing in a number of apiaries. The team covered a large geographic area of the island by visiting apiaries in the west, east and north ends of the province. The focus of each visit was on honey bee health, and the ATTTA team offered a variety of testing for beekeepers. ATTTA worked with each individual beekeeper and collected samples for the testing they desired on a case-by-case basis.

Varroa mite management continues to be a top priority for honey bee health, and, therefore, most beekeepers ATTTA visited wanted an assessment of Varroa mite levels within a yard. ATTTA conducted alcohol washes on a portion of colonies within an apiary, and across the island mite levels were found to be low (less than 1% across all colonies sampled). Some PEI beekeepers are involved in ATTTA’s Varroa mite regional survey, and these beekeepers provide samples of bees throughout the beekeeping season to help assess regional trends.

Nosema levels was another honey bee health test that many beekeepers were keen to have assessed. ATTTA collected samples of bees from a portion of colonies within an apiary and is currently assessing nosema levels in the lab. The ATTTA team will contact each beekeeper who provided samples for nosema testing and will inform them of their levels and advise on management steps.

Virus levels within a colony have a large impact on honey bee health. For a number of beekeepers ATTTA visited, the team swabbed colonies with the intention of assessing viral load. These samples were collected as part of a longer-term project and all swabs will be stored until testing can occur.

ATTTA also collected a limited number of samples for testing Lotmaria passim, a honey bee gut parasite, with a partnered lab. The team has collected a limited number of samples from around the region with the aim of determining the prevalence of Lotmaria passim in the Maritimes. There will be further information shared in future blogs about this little know parasite including these initial results.

Finally, with each colony ATTTA collected samples from, the team provided feedback to the beekeeper on colony strength and discussed a wide range of management topics to help support beekeepers.

The ATTTA team plans to visit with PEI beekeepers a couple more times this beekeeping season, and will continue to assess honey bee health during those visit. Our team will reach out to island beekeepers about future visits, and we also encourage beekeepers to contact us if they would like an apiary visit or have honey bee health and/or management questions.

Connecting with ATTTA Specialists

If you’d like to connect with ATTTA specialists or learn more about our program, you can:

visit our website at https://www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/

Email attta@perennia.ca

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