Supplement to Increase Queen Bee Egg Laying (Poly Egg)

Egg laying failure or reduction in queen bees is one of the main problems of beekeepers. A successful beekeeper always seeks effective solutions to maintain and increase egg laying capacity of the queen bee in order to have strong hive (in terms of population and health). A strong hive leads to the growth of honey production and improvement of bee survival and health.

Once a queen bee is able to mate, it has high egg laying capacity in the first 2 years of life. However, as of the third year, egg laying reduces because the queen bee becomes old and weak. A young healthy queen bee lays around 1500 to 2000 eggs in its first year of life. Egg laying capability depends on several factors such as time of the year, climate, and amount of pollen and nectar collected in the hive. Queen bee’s egg laying decreases in the seasons with less nectar and pollen flowers. In such cases, dealing with egg laying reduction is the main concern of beekeepers.

Poly Egg Supplement to Increase Queen Bee Egg Laying

Poly Egg supplement increases egg laying in queen bee within few days after consumption. Moreover, it has the following benefits:

• Increases egg quality and fertility
• Increases larvae survival rate
• Helps evolution of milk glands
• Improves immune system performance
• Increases protein storage in worker bee body

Poly Egg Supplement for honey bee is used for two purposes:

• Hives with 5 or less than 5 frames (to increase hive population and to make babies)
• Hives with 6 to 10 frames (to assort and increase honey production)

In order to get effective results, it is recommended to feed the bees with Poly Egg supplement at least 4 times (according to the following table):

How to use Poly Egg supplement to increase population and queen bee’s egg laying

• Hives with 5 or less than 5 frames (to increase hive population and to make babies):

First, pour three and a half (3.5) kilograms of clean water in a suitable container and add and dissolve one supplement pack of 250 grams (the supplement is effervescent so that it can be dissolved in the water easily). Add 5 and a half (5.5) kilograms of sugar and stir until it is fully dissolved. Feed each hive with 250 grams of the syrup every other day (it can be used for 36 hives). In other days feed the bees with the syrup without adding the supplement.

• Hives with 6 to 10 frames (to assort):

First, pour three and a half (3.5) kilograms of clean water in a suitable container and add and dissolve one supplement pack of 250 grams (the supplement is effervescent so that it can be dissolved in the water easily). Add 5 and a half (5.5) kilograms of sugar and stir until it is fully dissolved. Feed each hive with 500 grams of the syrup every other day (it can be used for 18 hives). In other days feed the bees with the syrup without adding the supplement.

How to use Poly Egg supplement (example):

Some tips about Poly Egg supplement

• Once dissolved in water, Poly Egg supplement is unstable and must be used immediately.
• The supplement must be used every other day and at least 4 times (4 packs of 250 grams). The bees must be only fed with sugar syrup (according to the usage instructions above) in other days.
• After 4 times of using Poly egg supplement, a significant increase in queen’s egg laying becomes obvious. The supplement activates the bees so there must be adequate flowers and pollen in the region so that they can prepare enough food for queen’s egg laying.
• When the bees become more active due to the use of supplement, they eat the honey produced in hives; this is the natural result of their increasing need for energy and nutrients required for feeding the kids. However, the more population grows, more honey is produced which is much greater than the honey used in egg laying period.
• The beekeepers may use the supplement in a manner that best suits their plans. Once the hive reaches a desirable population, they may quit using the supplement.
• Upon some periods of egg laying increase due to taking the supplement, the bees may avoid or decrease using the syrup. In such cases, queen’s egg laying is in its highest point and the hive needs the supplement no more. Therefore, it use can be reduced or ceased.
• Poly Egg supplement should not be stopped suddenly. Its use must be first reduced to every two days for two consecutive times. The third time should be three days later and then it can be ceased.
• Cold environment reduces or prevents eating syrup by the bees. Therefore, the hive must be kept warm to encourage the bees to have the supplement.

Two Important Rules of Keeping Bees

• 40-day rule for honey bees:

Each egg laid by the queen needs 21 days to become a bee. In order for a baby bee to be able to go out of the hive and fly, 21 more days must pass. Therefore, an egg hatching into larvae, needs around 40 days to develop into a worker bee that can collect nectar. A beekeeper should be prepared for increasing hive population 40 days before blossoms and flowers appear.

Beginning the use of egg laying supplement depends on the season and climate. The beekeeper, however, must consider the 40-day interval between the beginning of supplement use and honey production plan. Although the beginning date may differ in various regions and climates, the following table demonstrates suitable times for 40-day rule:

The Relationship between Bee Population Increase and Honey Production:

The relationship between bee population and honey production is exponential rather than linear; that is the increase of bee population in a hive results in exponential growth of honey production. For instance, if a hive with 10,000 bees produce 10 kilograms of honey, a hive with 50,000 bees (5 time greater) produces 60 kilograms of honey (6 times greater). This makes hive population an important factor in beekeeping. Such increase is merely possible through queen’s egg laying growth.