Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research Products and Services

Printable Version

E-mail this page

Publications

Projects

Russian Queen Project Chronology

Reprint List

You are here: / Russian Queen Project Chronology

Russian Queen Project Chronology

The table below is a year-by-year listing of activities associated with the Russian Honey Bee Queen Breeding Project since its inception.

Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
1994	Trip to Russia to investigate the possibilities of Varroa resistant bees.	Make contacts and meet cooperators in the Primorsky Territory of Far-Eastern Russia. Set up 5 year research agreement.
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
1995	Run a concurrent test in Baton Rouge with domestic Queens.	A "Road Trip" in the Primorsky Territory, collecting 50 Queens from various local beekeepers. Set up resistance test in the Primorsky Territory of Russia.
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
1996	Mite test with domestic Queens in Baton Rouge.	Identical test with Russian Queens in the Primorsky Territory of Russia.
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
1997	Phase I First Queen importation to U.S. for Program. Queens go into quarantine on a barrier island in Louisiana.	Collect and propagate selected Queens from the test plus additional untested Queens from different area beekeepers. Import 100 Queens to USA in July.
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
1998	Evaluate and test all 100 imported Queens after 6 month quarantine. Propagate selected lines for long term resistance test.	Collect new untested Queens from different area beekeepers for inclusion in ongoing evaluation test in Russia.
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
1999	24 lines selected from early data in long term resistance test to be propagated for field trials. Lines set up in "Blocks" "A", "B", "C" Long term resistance test continues Second Queen importation from Russia to Quarantine	Collect selected Queens from the test plus additional untested Queens from different area beekeepers and take to USA in June. Collect new untested Queens from different area beekeepers for inclusion in ongoing evaluation test in Russia.	BLOCK "A" field trials started. Six selected Russian lines from the long term resistance test are propagated using drones from the remaining 18 lines in Block "B" and Block "C". Test yards set up with cooperators in IA -M. Bigalk MS - H.Tubbs LA - S. Bernard 3 lines are selected for release in 2000 99A-719: Blue 99A-752: Purple 99A-747: White
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
2000	Evaluation and selection of Queens from second importation (1999) to be included in the test blocks Third Queen importation from Russia to Quarantine	Collect selected Queens from the test plus additional untested Queens from different area beekeepers and take to USA in July. Collect new untested Queens from different area beekeepers for inclusion in ongoing evaluation test in Russia.	Release Breeders selected in 1999 field trials: 99A-719: Blue 99A-752: Purple 99A-747: White Maintain selected Block "A" lines.	BLOCK "B" field trials started. Eight selected Russian lines from the long term resistance test are propagated using drones from lines in Block "A" and Block "C". Test yards set up with cooperators in IA -M. Bigalk MS - H.Tubbs LA - S. Bernard 3 lines are selected for release in 2001 00B-795: Blue* 00B-716: Green 00B-775: Yellow
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
2001	Evaluation and selection of Queens from third importation (2000) to be included in the test blocks Fourth Queen importation from Russia to Quarantine	Collect selected Queens from the test plus additional untested Queens from different area beekeepers and take to USA in July. Collect new untested Queens from different area beekeepers for inclusion in ongoing evaluation test in Russia.	Propagate and maintain Block "A" lines. Use selected Block "B" and Block "C" drones. Incorporate selected Queens from evaluation of second importation (1999).	Release Breeders selected in 2000 field trials: 00B-795: Blue* 00B-716: Green 00B-775: Yellow Maintain Selected Block "B" lines.	BLOCK "C" field trials started. Eight selected Russian lines from the long term resistance test and the 1999 importation are propagated using drones from lines in Block "A" and Block "B". Test yards set up with cooperators in IA -M. Bigalk MS - H.Tubbs LA - S. Bernard 3 lines are selected for release in 2002 01C-806: Orange 01C-896: Purple* 01C-893: Yellow*
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
2002	Evaluation and selection of Queens from fourth importation (2001) to be included in the test blocks Fifth Queen importation from Russia to Quarantine	Collect selected Queens from the test plus additional untested Queens from different area beekeepers and take to USA in August. End of 5-year research in Russia	Second round for BLOCK "A" field trials. Eight selected Russian lines from maintained "A" lines and the incorporated Queens from the second importation (1999) are propagated using selected drones from Block "B" and Block "C". Test yards set up with cooperators in IA -M. Bigalk MS - H.Tubbs LA - Lab 2 lines are selected for release in 2003 02A-933: Purple* 02A-557: Yelblue	Propagate and maintain Block "B" lines. Use selected Block "A" and Block "C" drones. Incorporate selected Queens from evaluation of third importation (2000).	Release 01C-806: Orange 01C-896: Purple* 01C-893: Yellow* Maintain Selected Block "C" lines.
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
2003	Evaluation and selection of Queens from fifth importation (2002) to be included in the test blocks.	Nothing at this time	Release 02A-933: Purple* 02A-557: Yelblue Maintain Selected Block "A" lines.	Second round for BLOCK "B" field trials. Eight selected Russian lines from maintained "B" lines and the incorporated Queens from the third importation (2000) are propagated using selected drones from Block "A" and Block "C". Test yards set up with cooperators in IA -M. Bigalk MS - H.Tubbs LA - Lab 2 lines are selected for release in 2004 03B-226: Blue/Red⁺ 00B-795: Blue/Blue⁺	Propagate and maintain Block "C" lines. Use selected Block "A" and Block "B" drones. Incorporate selected Queens from evaluation of fourth importation (2001).
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
2004	Evaluation and selection of Queens from fifth importation (2002) to be included in the test blocks. Conclusion of Phase II Russian Queen Tests	Nothing at this time	Propagate and maintain Block "A" lines. Use selected Block "B" and Block "C" drones. Incorporate selected Queens from evaluation of fourth importation (2002).	Release 03B-226: Blue/Red⁺ 00B-795: Blue/Blue⁺ Maintain Selected Block "B" lines.	Second round for BLOCK "C" field trials. Eight selected Russian lines from maintained "C" lines and the incorporated Queens from the fifth importation (2002) are propagated using selected drones from Block "A" and Block "B". Test yards set up with cooperators in IA -M. Bigalk MS - H.Tubbs LA - Lab Selected for release in 2005 01C-864: Yellow/Green⁺ 04C-132: Yellow/DkBlue
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
2005	Beginning of Phase III Russian Queen Selection	Nothing at this time	Daughters from 6 selected Group "A" breeder Queens are propagated and set up in yards for evaluation, selection and release in 2006 Test yards set up with cooperators in IA -M. Bigalk MS - H.Tubbs LA - C. Harper Selected for release in 2006 05A-618: White/Orange 05A-663: White/DkBlue	Daughters from 6 selected Group "B" Queens are propagated and set up in yards for long term evaluation. Breeders will be selected in the fall of 2006 for release in the spring of 2007	Release 01C-864: Yellow/Green⁺ 04C-132: Yellow/DkBlue Daughters from 6 selected Group "C" Queens are propagated and set up in yards for maintenance
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
2006	Continuation of Phase III Russian Queen Selection	Nothing at this time	Release 05A-618: White/Orange 05A-663: White/DkBlue Daughters from 6 selected Group "A" breeder Queens are propagated and set up in yards for maintenance	The Group "B" long term evaluation continues. Selected for release in 2007 06B-694: Lt. Blue/Blue 06B-735: Lt. Blue/Red	Daughters from 6 selected Group "C" breeder Queens are propagated and set up in yards for long term evaluation. Breeders will be selected in the fall of 2007 for release in the spring of 2008
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
2007	Continuation of Phase III Russian Queen Selection Assist in the establishment and 1st meeting of the Russian Queen Breeders Association. Members receive drone stock in preparation for propagation, maintenance and selection of queens.	Nothing at this time	Daughters from 6 selected Group "A" breeder Queens are propagated and set up in yards for long term evaluation. Breeders will be selected in the fall of 2008 for release in the spring of 2009	Release 06B-694: Lt. Blue/Blue 06B-735: Lt. Blue/Red Daughters from 6 selected Group "B" breeder Queens are propagated and set up in yards for maintenance	The Group "C" long term evaluation continues. Selected for release in 2008 07C-589: Yellow/Blue 07C-500: Yellow/Purple
Year	Activity	Russia	Block "A"	Block "B"	Block "C"
2008	Finishing Phase III Russian Queen Selection Begin Phase IV Russian Queen Breeders Association. Members receive assigned line Breeder queens for propagation, maintenance and selection of queens to be released in 2010.	Nothing at this time	The Group "A" long term evaluation continues. Breeders will be selected in the fall for release in the spring of 2009	Daughters from the 6 selected Group "B" breeder Queens are propagated and set up in yards for line maintenance. Line evaluation and selection will be done by the RQBA. Their selection of this group will be released in 2010	Release 07C-589: Yellow/Blue 07C-500: Yellow/Purple Daughters from the 6 selected Group "C" breeder Queens are propagated and set up in yards for maintenance. Line evaluation and selection will be done by the RQBA. Their selection of this group will be released in 2011

* The use of a Queen color in any given year DOES NOT indicate that this is the same line from year to year. There are a limited number of primary colors with which to mark the Queens for testing purposes. When referring to a particular line, use release year and color, i.e. "I have a 2002 Purple, and a 2001 Purple."

+ In order to avoid confusion in lines from year to year, the following color scheme has been implemented beginning with the release of breeder Queens in 2004: Groups will have a base color and lines will have their individual line colors.

    GROUP "A" - WHITE + line color
    GROUP "B" - LIGHT BLUE + line color
    GROUP "C" - NEON YELLOW + line color

The purpose of Phase I of the Russian Queen project was to determine if there was Varroa resistance in Russian queen lines. The purpose of Phase II was to test this resistance in field conditions, and to add more genetic material to the resistant pool by continued importation and evaluation of queens from Russia. At the end of Phase II, permanent queen lines were established. Six lines each from Group A, B, C. Phase III continued to evaluate and improve these lines and the "Best of the Best" were released to the industry on a yearly basis by group. Phase IV is the culmination of 14 years of effort. The Russian queen breeding, evaluation and selection has been turned over to the Russian Queen Breedeers Association. With input and guidance from the Baton Rouge Bee Lab, the RQBA will continue the breeding and selection program. The Baton Rouge Bee Lab will continue to be a repository of Russian stock, and will work on other aspects of the Russian queen characteristics.

Last Modified: 09/12/2008

	ARS Home \| USDA.gov \| Site Map \| Policies and Links
	FOIA \| Accessibility Statement \| Privacy Policy \| Nondiscrimination Statement \| Information Quality \| USA.gov \| White House