The actual insemination of the queen - which was anaesthetised and held in a specially-designed perspex tube - was the easy part.
The breeding programme itself was "extremely complex" and a huge challenge. It was an enjoyable occupation but could be stressful.
Dunedin-based company Betta Bees Research was formed in 2004 by a group of beekeepers who decided bee stocks needed to be improved. With the arrival of the varroa mite, bees that were "highly productive" needed to be developed, he said.
At the end of June, Mr Laas will step down as president of the National Beekeepers Association of New Zealand, after four years' service.
It had been a challenging time, he said. The industry was growing, almost entirely due to the hobby industry, although that was in terms of the number of beekeepers, not hive numbers. The commercial side remained relatively static.
The fairly rapid expansion of hobby beekeeping raised a few issues, including lack of both knowledge and understanding of the regulations governing beekeeping. Information could be found on the association's website.
Varroa had now been found in the Oamaru area and was heading south. Mr Laas suspected it was in the Dunedin area and it was also moving rapidly through Central Otago.
He believed it would reach most of Otago and parts of Southland by spring, as it was "amazingly fast-spreading".
When varroa was first discovered in Auckland in 2000, southern beekeepers knew their hives would get it eventually.
The chemical treatments available were highly effective. While they would not get rid of the mite, they would keep the level low.
Beekeepers needed to continue monitoring their sites. Some hobby beekeepers had lost hives as a result of "massive infection", as hives would eventually die if left untreated.
Commercial beekeepers were on the ball, as their livelihoods depended on it. The commercial industry had carried on regardless of varroa, but, unfortunately, profitability had declined.
Honey prices had been reasonably good this year, with a shortage of honey around the world.
Production rates for beekeepers could vary quite dramatically. It had been a relatively poor year, due to the poor summer. Often a good year for pastoral farmers meant a bad year for beekeepers.
BEE WEEK
Bee Week, which runs from May 30 to June 3, highlights the value and opportunities of honey bees and beekeeping. -
• About 9000-12,000 tonnes of honey are produced annually, with almost one-third to a half exported
• Exports of honey alone are valued at about $81 million, including $4 million of premium organic honey.
• Just over 3000 New Zealanders keep bees.
• MAF has estimated the introduction of the varroa mite will cost the New Zealand economy between $400 and $900 million over 35 years