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Effects of Queen Rearing Technology of Apis cerana by Cutting Comb on Reproductive Capacity and Productive Performance
by
Yueyang Hu
1,2,†, 
Fangming Lu
1,2,†,
Shuyun Li
2,3,
Qizhong Pan
2,3,
Yuyang Jiao
1,
Yutong Jiang
1 and
Xiaobo Wu
1,2,*
1
Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China
2
Anyuan Honeybee Science and Technology Backyard of Jiangxi Province, Ganzhou 342100, China
3
Ganzhou Polytechnic, Ganzhou 341099, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Agriculture 2025, 15(23), 2508; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15232508
Submission received: 18 October 2025
/
Revised: 20 November 2025
/
Accepted: 29 November 2025
/
Published: 2 December 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Beekeeping: Strategies for Enhancing Bee Stress Resistance)
Simple Summary
This study focused on Apis cerana to address the challenges associated with traditional artificial queen rearing methods, including the difficulty of larval grafting. Additionally, it aimed to provide a theoretical basis for the broader application of queen rearing using comb-cutting techniques. It compared the effects of two queen-rearing technologies—comb cutting and larval grafting—on queen and colony performance. The key measurements included egg morphological indicators (length, width, and weight), number of capped brood cells, worker morphological traits (forewing length, hindwing width, and tergite length), honey sac weight, and colony foraging efficiency. Results showed that queens from the comb-cutting group had superior egg quality (greater length and heavier weight) and more capped brood cells (p < 0.05). Their offspring also exhibited improved morphological traits and high daily colony foraging rates (p < 0.05), with no significant difference in forager honey sac weight between groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, queen rearing by cutting the comb effectively enhanced the reproductive and productive performance of A. cerana colonies. This approach represents a promising method for rearing high-quality queens and holds substantial value for optimizing beekeeping practices and ensuring sustainable colony development.
Abstract
The queen, as the reproductive core of a honeybee colony, has declining reproductive capacity with age, making it necessary to rear new queens to replace older ones. Traditional artificial queen-rearing methods face challenges, such as difficulties in larval grafting, particularly for Apis cerana. To address these issues, we developed a queen-rearing technology by cutting the comb. This study compared queen-rearing technology using comb cutting (CC) with larval grafting in A. cerana, measuring egg traits (length, width, weight), capped brood number, worker offspring initial weight, forager honey sac weight, worker morphology traits, and colony foraging efficiency. Queens reared using comb-cutting technology exhibited superior egg quality compared with those reared by larval grafting. The CC group showed significant improvements in egg length, egg weight, and number of capped brood cells (p < 0.05). Worker offspring from the CC group demonstrated significantly superior morphological traits—including forewing length, hindwing width, and lengths of the third and fourth tergites—as well as higher daily colony foraging activity, compared with those from the grafting larvae group (p < 0.05). Queen-rearing technology using CC effectively enhances the reproductive capacity and productive performance of colonies, promising high-quality queen rearing in A. cerana and sustainable beekeeping optimization.
