Vaccinated Bees

Dalan AFB Vaccinated Queens, Package Bees and Bee Nucs.

There are many factors that stress honeybee colonies. These may include parasites, predators, poisoning by herbicides and pesticides, loss of food due to fire and drought, and bacterial, fungal, or viral diseases. Among these, American Foulbrood (AFB) is among the most devastating of bee bacterial infections. The bacterial spores that cause AFB have been found to be present in up to 50% of hives tested in Canada and the United States.  A bee vaccine was developed by Dalan Animal Health, this breakthrough in honeybee care is the first and only biologic conditionally licensed by the USDA-CVB to help in the fight against AFB. The nee vaccine is safe, non-chemical, and suitable for use in organic agriculture. When queen bees are orally inoculated with Dalan’s vaccine, protection works through a biological mechanism called transgenerational immune priming (TGIP), whereby the queen passes immunity to her daughters before they hatch. The honeybee vaccine exposes queen bees to inactive bacteria, which enables the larvae hatched in the hive to resist infection.

Shop Vaccinated Bees and Foulbrood-Resistant Queens

Protecting Hives With Vaccinated Livestock

Preventing American Foulbrood requires proactive disease management before symptoms appear. Ordering vaccinated bees provides your apiary with natural, non-chemical protection against destructive bacterial infections.

Advantages of Vaccinated Bee Stock

Integrating inoculated stock into your apiary provides several key health benefits:

• Inactive bacterial spores stimulate natural immunity without antibiotics.
• Inoculated queen bees pass resistance directly to developing eggs.
• Emerging worker larvae hatch protected against Paenibacillus larvae.
• Zero chemical residues remain in harvested honey or beeswax.
• Hive health remains compatible with organic management practices.

Selecting Your Spring Livestock

Choosing 5-frame bee nucs gives your apiary drawn comb and active brood, while package bees offer flexibility for new equipment. Meyer Bees combines this vaccine technology with winter-hardy stock adapted to Midwest conditions.

If you need individual mated stock to requeen an established colony, our queen bees for sale feature certified vaccination to safeguard your hive. Reserve your spring livestock online or call 815-521-9116 to confirm availability.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does vaccine protection last in a colony?

Protection remains active as long as the vaccinated queen bee heads the hive. Because immunity transfers to her eggs, every new generation of worker bees inherits resistance throughout her laying life.

Can I introduce a vaccinated queen into an existing unvaccinated hive?

Yes. Requeening an established colony with a vaccinated queen bee gradually shifts the entire hive's immune status. As her vaccinated offspring emerge and replace older workers, the colony naturally develops resistance.

What is the main advantage of vaccinated bee nucs over standard package bees?

Vaccinated 5-frame bee nucs come with drawn comb, active brood, and a laying vaccinated queen bee that the workers have already accepted.

How is the vaccine administered to the honey bees?

The vaccine is administered orally to queen bees through queen candy fed by attendant bees. The queen ingests the inactive spores, which are stored in her fat body and pass into her developing eggs.