07/23/2026
The Big Reveal!
Maybe you can tell by my squeals of excitement? My favorite moment of Queen School is the big reveal- when we finally open the cell raiser to see everyone's grafted queen cells.
All weekend, we dive into the art and science of queen rearing: the hows, the whys, and most importantly, the why nots. We practice grafting in the lab, examine tiny larvae under the microscope, and build skills that make successful queen rearing possible. Then each student chooses their best grafts, and together we place them into a strong cell raiser.
As the workshop comes to a close, everyone gathers around the cell raiser. The bees become the teachers. They evaluate every graft, offering honest, immediate feedback that no textbook can match.
Every accepted queen cell is a small victory. Every missed graft is a lesson. Together we celebrate what worked, unpack what didn't, and talk through the small adjustments that lead to better queens the next time around.
This is my favorite part, the clumination of weekend of learning. It is the moment when knowledge, practice, and the bees all come together. It's where learning becomes confidence.
