Instrumental Insemination
Lexikon
In instrumental insemination, also called artificial insemination, drone semen is transferred to the queen under a stereomicroscope using a fine glass cannula.
In instrumental insemination, also called artificial insemination, drone semen is transferred to the queen under a stereomicroscope using a fine glass cannula. It is the only method by which mating can be fully controlled.
The procedure: the queen is fixed in a holding tube, anesthetized with carbon dioxide, and the sting chamber is opened with fine hooks. For a long laying period, about eight to ten microliters of semen are needed; one drone supplies about one microliter, so roughly eight to ten drones are needed per queen. Anesthesia is usually given twice and each time lasts only a few minutes; longer sedation reduces life expectancy.
The most favorable age for the queen is about five to ten days, and the drones should be at least two weeks old. After insemination the queen is marked and quickly returned to the colony. Important: inseminated queens can still set out on mating flights, which is why a queen excluder belongs in front of the entrance.
The method is used in conservation breeding of endangered subspecies, above all the Dark Bee, and wherever deliberate single matings are needed. It is demanding and is taught in multi-day courses run by the bee institutes.