Welcome to the Illinois Queen Initiative.
Teaching Illinois beekeepers to produce
locally adapted bees for Illinois beekeepers

Why is IQI important for Illinois Beekeepers?

We need bees that are more resistant to varroa mites and diseases that are causing increasing colony losses.

Sunbelt queens and bees that are not well adapted to Illinois conditions are more likely to suffer major winter losses.

Queens ordered from distant states are often stressed during shipping, resulting in reduced rates of acceptance and survival.

In the past decade Illinois beekeepers have experienced problems with out of state packages

Mishandled queens that survive shipping can experience heat stress which has a direct negative effect on drone seman.

Illinois raised queens won’t bring in new diseases nor will they suffer long distance shipping stress.

In the past decade Illinois beekeepers have experienced problems with out of state packages

Illinois queens and nucs have greater survival potential, because they are better adapted to our climate conditions and our biological conditions-including disease organisms.

The queens raised by Illinois Queen Initiative producers have greater survivability and adaptability to local conditions for Illinois beekeepers.