Evaluating a queen
Evaluation is the core of genetic selection. BeePass uses 8 standardized traits covering colony productivity, behaviour, and disease resistance.
The 8 traits
| Trait | Technical name | Type | Scale | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honey | honey_yield_kg | Continuous | kg | Harvested honey production |
| Gentleness | gentleness | Ordinal | 1-4 | Defensive behaviour (4 = very gentle) |
| Vigor | vigor | Ordinal | 1-4 | Colony strength in spring (4 = very vigorous) |
| Wintering | wintering | Ordinal | 1-4 | Survival and condition after winter (4 = excellent) |
| Non-swarming | swarming | Ordinal | 1-4 | Swarming tendency, inverted (4 = does not swarm) |
| Comb stability | comb_sitting | Ordinal | 1-4 | Calmness of bees on frames (4 = very calm) |
| HYG 6h | hyg6_cleaned | Binomial | 0-50 | Cells cleaned at 6 hours (Pin Test) |
| HYG 24h | hyg24_cleaned | Binomial | 0-50 | Cells cleaned at 24 hours (Pin Test) |
Ordinal traits (1-4)
For behavioural traits, use the following scale:
- 1 = Poor (aggressive colony, frequent swarming, catastrophic wintering...)
- 2 = Below average
- 3 = Good
- 4 = Excellent (very gentle colony, no swarming, perfect wintering...)
Be consistent in your scoring. The same person should rate the same way throughout the season. When in doubt, score 2 or 3 rather than the extremes.
Hygienic test (Pin Test)
The Pin Test measures a colony's ability to detect and remove dead or diseased brood cells. It is a key indicator of varroa resistance and brood disease tolerance.
Protocol
- Prepare: choose a frame of capped brood, uniform area
- Perforate: pierce 50 cells with a fine entomological needle
- Time it: note the exact time of perforation
- 6h reading: count the cleaned cells after 6 hours
- 24h reading: count the cleaned cells after 24 hours
Timing quality
BeePass distinguishes two levels of timing accuracy:
| Quality | Description | Genetic weight |
|---|---|---|
| Exact | Readings taken at the planned time (automatic timestamp) | High |
| Declared | Approximate times entered manually | Standard |
Readings taken exactly at 6h and 24h after perforation receive higher weight in the genetic analysis. Use the BeePass built-in timer for automatic tracking.
Interpretation
- HYG 6h >= 40/50 (80%): excellent hygienic behaviour
- HYG 24h >= 45/50 (90%): satisfactory hygienic behaviour
- Both readings are combined to compute a single breeding value (hygiene EBV)
Location
Each evaluation records the apiary location:
- Country (selection from 15 European countries)
- Postal code
This information allows the BeePass environmental engine to calculate local weather conditions (temperature, rainfall, hot days) and correct biases related to apiary location.
Two genetically identical colonies will produce very different honey yields depending on whether they are located in the mountains or on the plains. BeePass automatically corrects these differences using the XGBoost model, so queens are compared solely on their genetic potential.
Field data entry
The evaluation form is designed for use at the apiary:
- Voice input: dictate your scores without removing your gloves (gentleness, vigor, wintering, HYG 6h/24h)
- Adapted interface: large buttons, high contrast
- Offline recording: data is synchronized as soon as connectivity returns