Professional Documents
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Insemination of Honey Bee Queens 4
Insemination of Honey Bee Queens 4
OF
QUEEN BEES
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providing specific information. Mention of a trade name does not con-
stitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture or an endorsement by the Department over other
products not mentioned.
IV
INSTRUMENTAL INSEMINATION
OF
QUEEN BEES
By Otto Mackensen and Kenneth W. Tucker, Research Entomologistsj
Entomology Research Division, Agricultural Research Service
1940's, that partial inseminations could be al- the queen still by tying her with thread to a
most eliminated by injecting a larger volume of wooden support was supplanted by queen hold-
semen. Since that time, the semen of three to ers of the tubular or clamp type in which the
10 drones per insemination has been used with queen is also anesthetized. The technique of
consistently good results. holding the sting chamber open and the sting
The problem of tardy onset of laying was from over the opening to the vagina by hand-
solved about the same time. It was discovered held forceps was replaced by using hooks ma-
that anesthesia of queens with carbon dioxide nipulated through friction mounts or by rack
would hasten the onset of laying, not only of and pinion. For collecting and injecting semen,
inseminated queens, but also of virgin queens. the screw type syringe with a fixed glass tip and
This discovery fits in well with insemination a plunger extending into the tip has been modi-
technique, because carbon dioxide is used to fied into a disassemblable metal syringe with a
keep the queens still during instrumental insem- plastic tip and a plunger extending not into the
ination. tip but pressing against a rubber diaphragm,
Along with the advances in technique, the which activates a column of saline solution
equipment used for instrumental insemination within the tip. A probe, designed especially to
was developed and improved into the two types move the valvefold, has been used since the im-
of apparatus now used. Early means of holding portance of the valvefold was recognized.
ST
LOD SPD MOD / V I BP\ ßC
VF VO BPO
FIGURE 1.—Reproductive organs of the queen in approximately their natural position in the abdomen, with left side
of vagina and bursa copulatrix cut away: BCy bursa copulatrix; BP, right bursal pouch; EPO, opening to bursal
pouch; LOD, lateral oviduct; MOD, median oviduct; O, ovary; Ä, rectum; SCH, sting chamber; SP, spermatheca;
SPD, spermathecal duct; ST, sting; V, vagina; VF, valvefold; VO, vaginal orifice.
orifice during instrumental insemination if the entire upper half of the abdomen. They gradu-
queen is not properly positioned. ally shrink to small greenish-yellow structures
In figure 2 the sting chamber is held open as in the sexually mature done. A testis consists of
in instrumental insemination by a ventral hook small tubules which empty into a chamber at
(VH) placed over the last ventral plate (VP) of the end of the vas deferens. The vas deferens
the abdomenal exoskeleton and a sting hook has a coiled section where it joins the testis
(STH), which fits between the bases of the and a long enlarged section, the seminal vesicle,
lancets of the sting (ST). Here the reproductive which joins and empties into the lower end of
tract has been compressed, the bursa copulatrix the corresponding mucous gland. The two
opened wide to expose the vaginal orifice, and mucous glands unite at their lower ends into the
the vagina collapsed so that the valvefold lies narrow ejaculatory duct which leads to the
immediately inside the vaginal orifice and penis.
occasionally is visible without any probing. The sperm cells go through development in
the tubules of the testes and then pass into the
Male Reproductive Organs vesicles where they remain until ejaculated. In
The male reproductive system is illustrated the meantime the testes shrink.
schematically in side view in figure 3, with the The seminal vesicles have muscular walls and
right-hand members of the paired structures are lined with secretory cells that provide nour-
not shown. Its principal paired structures are ishment for the sperm. At 3 to 4 days of age a
testes, vasa deferentia, and mucous glands. The few sperm are already in th« seminal vesicles,
ejaculatory duct and penis are single structures. and at 4 to 5 days there are about 5 million and
In a young drone the testes ar.e very large, this increases to 10 to 11 million at 8 days. It is
slimy appearing organs that occupy almost the very important that drones receive proper care
AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 390, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
during' this period. Sperm obtainable at any age The mucous glands also have muscular walls
ai^ usable in artificial insemination; however, with secretory cells. As the drone matures
it is best to wait until all sperm have had a sexually these glands become distended and
chance to mature. This is considered to be about white from the amorphous white mucus secreted
12 days of age. There seems to be no deteriora- into the lumen of the gland.
tion of sperm as aging continues. The penis is a soft membranous sack with a
FIGURE 2.--Sting chamber of queen properly opened for insemination: BPO, opening of bursal pouches; DP, dorsal
plate; QH, queen holder; ST, sting; STH, sting hook; VF, valvefold; VH, ventral hook; VO, vaginal orifice- VP
ventral plate. ' '
INSTRUMENTAL INSEMINATION OF QUEEN BEES
RECTUM
/
EJACULATORY DUCT
FIGURE 3.—Male reproductive organs in approximately their natural position in the abdomen. The right-hand mem-
bers of the paired organs (testes, vasa deferentia, and mucous glands) are not shown.
number of bizarre processes and hairy areas. At ther pressure on the abdomen, which must De
its inner end it is enlarged into the bulb and pro- applied to complete the eversión, the bulb passes
vided with a pair of hard comma-shaped brown on through a narrow section of the penis with a
plates. The bulb is filled with a clear liquid jerk, the points of the comma-shaped plates
which dilutes the sperm during ejaculation. appear at the very end of the everted penis, and
In mating the penis turns inside out to the the semen and mucus are ejected from the bulb
outside of the body, pulling the ejaculatory duct to the outside (fig. 4, ß). In natural mating the
through itself (fig. 4). This eversión is brought transfer of semen to the queen is thought to
about by the simultaneous contraction of all the take place at this stage. Under the artificial con-
muscles of the abdomen. Ejaculation takes place ditions of mechanical pressure on the abdomen,
during this eversión. A peristaltic contraction of the eversión often proceeds still further until
the muscles of the seminal vesicles, beginning at the bulb and its plates are turned completely in-
their anterior ends, squeezes the sperm out side out (fig. 4, C). Sometimes the internal
through the ejaculatory duct; then the muscles pressure becomes so great that the penis ex-
of the mucous gland contract to push the mucus plodes. In the technique of inducing eversión and
after the sperm into the bulb. These processes ejaculation artificially, the aim is to stimulate
can be started by a number of artificial stimuli muscle contraction and not to force the action.
such as decapitation, pressure on the abdomen, The sperm and mucus then come out in natural
chloroform fumes, or electric shock. When sequence with minimum mixing of the two. It is
started in this way, the eversión usually stops impossible to obtain a normal ejaculation by
at the stage illustrated in figure 4, A, With fur- mechanical means alone.
AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 390, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
FIGURE 4.—Stages of the eversión of the drone's penis: A, Partial eversión usually encountered after initial stimula-
tion; B, a more complete eversión usually obtained by squeezing the abdomen, with semen and mucus exposed;
and C, a fully everted penis (semen and mucus not shown).
The semen is made up of the sperm plus snow-white mucus. The semen becomes darker
liquids from the seminal vesicles and the bulb. and contains more sperm as the drone ages; the
The sperm are in bundles, giving the semen a best quality semen of dark-cream color, not
cloudy or mottled appearance. This appearance mixed with mucus, is obtained from drones at
together with its cream color makes semen least 12 days old. The quality does not seem to
easily distinguishable from the homogeneous deteriorate with further aging.
NATURAL MATING
The natural act of copulation has been difficult valvefold with a probe, to facilitate placement
to study, but considerable information has been of the syringe tip in the median oviduct.
obtained by examining queens immediately
after their return from the mating flight. The When the queen returns to the hive after mat-
queen evidently cooperates actively by opening ing, usually both oviducts are distended with
the sting chamber and lov^ering the valvefold semen, but often unequally. The anterior part of
voluntarily. The end of the penis enters the the vagina also contains semen, and some sperm
bursa copulatrix but not the vagina. Since the have already reached the spermatheca. The bulb
queen is not cooperating during artiñcial in- of the penis is found in the sting chamber or
semination, it may be necessary to lower the bursa copulatrix buried in mucus which also ex-
INSTRUMENTAL INSEMINATION OF QUEEN BEES
tends into the vagina, or the bulb may be theca during these contractions while the valve-
absent. fold serves as an imperfect seal of the vaginal
During the course of the next 6 to 7 hours orifice. Perhaps both processes play a part.
most of the sperm reach the spermatheca Whatever the procedure, it is as effective after
through the vagina and spermathecal duct, but instrumental insemination as after natural
some may remain in the oviducts 24 hours, espe- mating.
cially after artificial insemination. How this Naturally mated queens, on return from mat-
translocation takes place is not yet perfectly ing nights, contain an average of 11.6 microli-
understood. It has long been thought to be a ters (fjih) of semen in their oviducts (maximum
process of active migration; however, while it is 28 /xl.). From this it is estimated that queens
taking place, the queen frequently contracts her mate with eight to nine drones on the average
abdomen and little strings of dried semen are (maximum: 17). If the first mating does not
eliminated. From this evidence it has been as- satisfy, the queen will mate a second or even a
sumed that the sperm is forced into the sperma- third time.
FIGURE 5.—Complete insemination equipment, showing manipulating apparatus under microscope with queen in
place ready for injection of semen, jar for giving additional carbon dioxide treatments, and carbon dioxide cylinder
with pressure regulator attached.
the hole in the stopper and bathes the queen as side diameter gradually enlarges for a distance
it passes out of the queen holder. of five thirty-seconds inch and then continues at
a uniform bore of 0.031 inch. The tip is gradu-
Syringe ated in microliters and has a capacity of 10.
Various types of syringes have been used With the 5/16-inch base, still larger capacities
during the development of the insemination can be obtained by increasing the diameter of
technique. The Mackensen syringe (fig. 7) is the the uniform bore.
one most commonly used today. The barrel and In operation the tip and adapter socket are
plunger are made of stainless steel. The plunger filled with physiological salt solution, the tip is
is constructed in two parts so that when the screwed into the adapter against the rubber
screw plunger turns, the diaphragm plunger diaphragm, and the adapter is then screwed into
does not turn nor bore into the diaphragm. The the syringe barrel socket. When the sci-ew
diaphragm is made of rubber one-sixteenth inch plunger is advanced, it causes the diaphragm
thick. The tip and adapter are made of clear plunger to push the diaphragm into the cavity at
plastic. At its point the tip has an inside diam- the base of the tip thus forcing the saline solu-
eter of 0.005 inch and an outside diameter of tion out. The semen is then taken in by retract-
0.009 inch. This is about as small as the outside ing the screw plunger. Thus, the saline solution
diameter can be made and still permit an inside acts as a liquid plunger.
diameter large enough for reasonably easy Originally the piece between the tip and barrel
semen collection. Just inside the point, the in- was the same diameter as the barrel and was
INSTRUMENTAL INSEMINATION OF QUEEN BEES
simply an extension that could be omitted. When operation. Each hook is secured to a long
the tip was screwed directly into the barrel a handle, which slides within its hook holder. The
1/2-inch-long diaphragm plunger was used. critical parts of these instruments are shown
When it was found that the old style tips with enlarged in figure 8. The ventral hook is
1/4-inch-diameter base did not have the capacity mounted to the left of the operator and is little
desired by modern workers, the base was en- more than a bent wire that hooks over the ven-
larged to five-sixteenths of an inch and the con- tral plate. The sting hook is mounted to the
necting piece correspondingly. Thus, this piece right of the operator. It has an enlargement at
became an adapter. the end which fits into the triangular area be-
The adapter is a great convenience when ster- tween tlie sting lancets and extends underneath
ilization is required as in a series of individual them (fig. 2). It is used to pull the sting dor-
matings or to prevent the spread of disease. sally exposing the vaginal orifice. These hooks
Several adapters and tips can be prepared, used may vary considerably in dimensions and shape,
one by one, and all cleaned and sterilized at the and different workers in instrumental insemina-
same time. tion have their preferences. One should be pre-
pared to make these hooks out of spring temper
Sting Hook and Ventral Hook brass wire. Suitable tools for this purpose are
Two hooks are used to hold the sting chamber number six cut files of round, oval, and flat
open and the sting out of the way during the shapes, obtainable from any jeweler.
FIGURE 6.—Manipulating apparatus viewed from operator's side: QH, queen holder; S, syringe; STH, sting hook;
and VH, ventral hook.
10 AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 390, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
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INSTRUMENTAL INSEMINATION OP QUEEN BEES 11
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FIGURE 8.—Structural details of valvefold probe, ventral hook, and sting hook. Dimensions are in inches.
12 AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 390, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
Valvefold Probe and Stîng Depressor queen holder in place. We suggest that the queen
The valvefold probe (fig. 8) is used to press holder block be adjusted so that the queen
the valvefold ventrally to make way for the holder leans 30° from vertical and makes a
point of the syringe on its way to the oviduct. 10° angle with the syringe about as illustrated
There are two 45° bends on a plane with the in figure 6 and changes be made later as
main stem of the instrument instead of one 90° desired.
bend to minimize obstructing the view. The last Since the mountings for the syringe and hold-
0.020 inch is bent counterclockwise about 30° ing hooks are similar, only the mounting of the
when viewed toward the handle. The sting de- ventral hook (fig. 9) will be described. The hook
pressor is simply a needle that is used to de- handle passes through holes in each end of a
press the sting while the sting hook is placed. sheet metal holder. These holes are rounded at
These instruments can be mounted in pin vices the bottom and inverted V-shaped at the top. A
or other suitable short handles. flat spring pushes the handle upward into thé
inverted V. The tension of the spring can be ad-
Manipulating Apparatus justed so that the hook handle can be slid in and
out with just the right amount of friction. The
A good manipulating apparatus will not only hook holder is seated in a tapered depression in
support the parts already described but will hold its support block so that it can rotate in a vertical
the syringe and holding hooks so that their plane. It extends through the block as a bolt and
functioning ends can be moved in any direction is held in place by a spring washer and two nuts.
smoothly and easily and yet remain exactly The degree of friction between the hook holder
where placed when released. The apparatus il- and its seat is controlled by the tension of the
lustrated in figure 6 fulfills these requirements, spring, which is adjusted by the inner nut. The
and the position of its parts can be reversed for outer nut locks the inner nut in place. The sup-
a left-handed operator. port block consists of two parts which clamp
It has a heavy base to which are attached the onto the upright post permitting rotation in a
mounting for the queen holder in the center and horizontal plane and adjustment up or down on
%-inch posts at either side 41/2 inches apart. the post. The parts are held together by two
The left post supports the ventral hook mount- bolts with coiled springs under the nuts. The
ing and the right post, the syringe mounting amount of friction with the post is controlled by
(above) and the sting hook mounting (below). adjusting the tension of the springs. This ar-
The queen holder mounting block can be rangement makes it possible to move the end of
rotated in a vertical plane or moved from side to the hook in any direction quickly and easily and
side. After it is once adjusted according to the have it remain exactly in the position it was in
wishes of the operator it is tightly secured. It is when released. A split collar under the block is
provided with a spring so that the queen holder tightened around the post to hold the block at
can be simply and quickly snapped in place and the desired level.
moved up or down or revolved for accurate posi- An insemination apparatus similar to the one
tioning while the tension of the spring holds the just described is available commercially.
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14 AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 390, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
is flowing (fig. 5). This gas is heavier than air, earl-er than the normal age. Since exposure dur-
and as it fills the container from the bottom, ing insemination may be too short or the anes-
the air is forced out through an escape tube at thetization incomplete, it is recommended that
the top, insuring a high concentration. (Any two treatments be given after a single insemi-
wide-mouth container with a loosely fitted lid nation and one treatment after two insemina-
will suffice for carbon dioxide treatments.) Ovi- tions. These exposures to carbon dioxide appear
position starts 2 to 6 days after the second to have no ill effect, but since anesthesia has
treatment and a day or two later than would be been shown to change the behavior of worker
the case after natural mating. Although treat- bees, overexposure should be avoided. The min-
ments given as early as the second or third day imum effective dose in time or concentration
are effective, they do not cause laying to start has not been determined.
INSEMINATION PROCEDURE
The best way to learn the insemination tech- to moisten these parts occasionally. An experi-
nique is to study under an experienced operator. enced operator will work so fast that he will have
A microscope arrangement permitting the stu- little difficulty, but a beginner may find these
dent and the instructor to observe the same inconveniences very disturbing.
image is ideal. 5. Practice the semen collection and injec-
Since an instructor may not be available, the tion procedures separately using water or saline
procedure is here described in sufficient detail solution instead of semen for the injection pro-
for the reader to learn the technique on his own. cedure.
The description applies specifically to the ap-
paratus that has just been described. The reader
can adapt it to any other equipment he might be Preparing the Anesthetic
using. The reduction valve of the carbon dioxide
The student's task will be made easier by the cylinder should be adjusted to a delivery pres-
following suggestions : sure of about 5 pounds per square inch and the
1. Work with queens reared from several dif- flow of gas to the queen holder stopper adjusted
ferent breeder queens. Daughters of some to a very small stream. It should be just enough
breeders will be easier to inseminate that those to keep the queen quiet. The flow can best be
of others. Try queens of different races if avail- judged by dipping the stopper in water.
able.
2. Use queens reared under the most favor- Preparing the Syringe
able conditions because large queens are easier The syringe is prepared by filling the
to inseminate than small ones. syringe tip with a physiological salt solution to
3. Use virgin queens that have had the free serve as a liquid plunger. A 0.9 percent sodium
run of the nucleus and that are at least 7 days chloride solution is satisfactory. An antibiotic
old. Such queens have less feces in their rec- may be added to help prevent infection. A plas-
tums than queens maintained any other way. A tic squeeze bottle of the type used for dispens-
distended rectum pushes the reproductive tract ing liquids in laboratories is an aid in forcing
ventrally making it more difficult to hold back the liquid into the tip. The socket of the adapter
the sting and to find the entrance to the me- with diaphragm in place is then filled with the
dian oviduct with the syringe tip. saline solution and the tip screwed into it
4. Select a humid day if possible. In a dry firmly against the diaphragm. Be careful to
atmosphere the exposed tissue of the queen will exclude air because it tends to nullify the pur-
dry quickly making it more difficult to insert pose of the liquid plunger. The extension is then
the syringe tip. Also, the semen may dry at the screwed into the metal syringe body. By ad-
end of the syringe tip clogging the passage be- vancing the plunger, sufficient liquid is forced
fore it can be inserted or before semen can be out to permit taking in the desired amount of
taken from another drone. It may be necessary semen when the plunger is retracted.
INSTRUMENTAL INSEMINATION OF QUEEN BEES 15
The syringe is placed in the syringe holder may evert so violently that the semen is pro-
and swung around until the tip is away from jected and lost or the penis explodes.
the operator so that it will not interfere with The method commonly used to induce eversión
the mounting of the queen. and ejaculation is the following: The drone is
decapitated and, if this does not cause a partial
Preparing the Queen or complete eversión, he is grasped by the
thorax with the thumb and forefinger of the left
The queen is made to walk into a tube similar hand with the drone's ventral surface up. Then,
to the queen holder. When she reaches the con- while the anterior part of the thorax is squeezed
stricted end she backs up, and if the queen with the left hand, the dorsal part of the abdo-
holder is quickly put in place, she usually backs men is teased or repeatedly squeezed lightly
in readily. As soon as she reaches the con- with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand.
stricted end of the queen holder, the stopper This action usually brings about contraction of
through which carbon dioxide is flowing is the abdominal muscles and a partial or some-
quickly pushed in after her (before she has a times a more or less complete eversión and
chance to move forward again). To be properly ejaculation (fig. 4). If eversión is only partial
positioned the last three visible segments of the (fig. 4, A), the abdomen is squeezed progres-
abdomen should protrude, and the hind legs sively from the anterior dorsal region to the
should remain in the queen holder. A beginner posterior ventral part to continue the eversión
may wish to insert a 3-way stopcock in the car- by force until the semen is extruded (fig. 4, B or
bon dioxide supply tube so the gas can be di- 4, C). Semen is rarely obtainable without abdo-
verted while the queen is placed. (If the queen's minal contraction, but when the abdomen con-
abdomen expands abnormally, the gas is being tracts without partial eversión, the eversión can
forced into her abdominal air sacs, an indication often be completed by pressure and a good
that the flow is too strong.) The queen holder is amount of semen obtained.
then put in place on the manipulating appara- The amount of semen and mucus varies. The
tus and adjusted so that the dorsal surface of cream-colored semen comes out first followed
the queen's body is to the right. by the thicker white mucus. Sometimes only
As soon as the queen is quiet, the sting cham- semen is ejected, but usually at least some muc-
ber can be opened with the holding hooks, with us comes out after the semen, and the two are
the ventral hook to the left and sting hook to distributed on the penis in various arrange-
the right. The hooks are manipulated more or ments. Movement of sperm causes the semen to
less simultaneously, but usually first the ven- spread in a thin layer over the mucus, making it
tral hook and then the sting hook are inserted progressively more diflScult to collect. Also, de-
into the sting chamber and abdominal plates lay after the first stage of eversión makes the
pulled apart. With the left hand, the sting semen more difficult to collect, possibly due to a
depressor is used to hold the sting down while mixing of semen and mucus. It is, therefore, im-
the sting hook is placed in the triangular area portant to complete the whole procedure as
between the bases of the sting lancets, and left quickly as possible.
in this position to prevent unnecessary drying
Sometimes drones evert and ejaculate better
of the delicate tissues while the syringe is being
if they are first induced to exercise by holding
loaded. them by the legs with forceps while they attempt
to fly or by permitting them to fly against a
Ejaculation of Drones windowpane. Sometimes caging free-flying
Drones vary greatly in the ease with which drones for a day or two improves eversión and
they are induced to ejaculate and in the amount ejaculation. Perhaps these methods increase the
of semen delivered, especially when one is deal- volume inside the abdomen by forcing air into
ing with inbred drones. Some have no semen; the air sacs or by increasing the accumulation
others may not evert and ejaculate properly of feces; thus the contraction of the abdominal
when the stimulation is artificial; still others muscles is more effective in everting the penis.
16 AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 390, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
Sometimes exposure to chloroform fumes is ef- The syringe tip is then posed above the
fective when all other methods fail; in fact, it is vaginal opening. With the left hand the valve-
quite reliable in causing at least a partial ever- fold probe is inserted into the dorsal part of the
sión; however, an experienced operator will vagina and the valvefold is pushed ventrally
usually find this method too time-consuming. until the point of the syringe has passed beyond
(fig. 10). Then the probe is removed as the
Filling the Syringe
syringe is pushed in farther (about 1.5 mm.). If
This operation is done under the microscope the surrounding tissue begins to move before
with the syringe tip swung a few inches toward the syringe has reached this depth, it is prob-
the operator and the microscope moved cor- ably not in the oviduct. Sometimes the syringe
respondingly. The ejaculated drone is brought needs to be moved ventrally slightly. The probe
near the syringe tip with the left hand. The and syringe should be inserted only as far as
plunger of the syringe is withdrawn slightly to necessary. Beginners have a tendency to insert
provide an air space (as small as practical—one- these instruments too deeply.
half microliter) between saline solution and Carefully attempt to inject the semen. If the
semen and to faciliate measuring the amount of column of semen does not begin to move im-
semen. The surface of the semen is then made to mediately and the air between semen and saline
touch the point of the syringe at about a 45° solution begins to compress, the syringe is not
angle. If the drone is pulled away from the in the median oviduct and must be withdrawn
syringe slightly without breaking contact, the for another attempt. Some adjustments may be
semen will continue to adhere to the syringe and necessary. The dorsoventral centerline of the
will flow toward it as the plunger is withdrawn. queen's body should be perfectly in line with the
This procedure helps the operator to avoid tak- ventral and sting hooks, and the syringe should
ing up the mucus which is too thick to pass into be inserted exactly in this centerline. If these
the syringe tip and will stop the passage of precautions are observed, the syringe should
semen. If mucus clogs the tip, the plunger is enter the oviduct without difficulty. When the
pushed out until the passage is cleared ; then the semen begins to move properly without any
taking of semen is resumed. By moving the leakage around the point, the injection can pro-
drone about in relation to the syringe tip, the ceed rapidly. Sometimes leakage can be stopped
mucus can be skimmed of practically all its by inserting the syringe a little deeper, but if
semen covering. Semen is taken from as many leakage continues, stop the operation and try
drones as necessary, and when the syringe tip is again another day. When the injection is com-
filled to the desired point a small amount of air pleted, the syringe is withdrawn and the queen
or physiological salt solution is drawn in to pre- removed from the queen holder.
vent sealing of the end of the syringe tip by
drying of semen. This air or salt solution can be Throughout the operation always steady the
injected with the semen without harm. The aver- arms against the edge of the table and the
age yield of semen per drone is about 1 /¿I. The hands and fingers against parts of the appara-
beginner should take up semen very slowly; this tus. Some operators object to use of the probe
is very important. Speed will come with experi- because it cannot be held steady enough to pre-
ence. vent injury to the queen. When we use the
probe, we hold it steady by leaning the fore-
Injection finger against the queen holder mounting.
The microscope is again positioned over the If the probe is omitted, insert the syringe
queen and the magnification changed to a higher along the dorsal wall of the vagina; then move
power if desired. The sting hook is drawn dor- the syringe ventrally to push the valvefold aside,
sally until the sting chamber appears as in fig- and then inward again. Queens of some strains
ure 2. Applying a 3 percent aqueous solution of are easily inseminated without the probe.
Fast Green stain while the queen is in this posi- Some operators load the syringe first while
tion will help the beginner to recognize the others prepare the queen first. The order is a
vaginal orifice and possibly the valvef old. matter of personal preference.
INSTRUMENTAL INSEMINATION OF QUEEN BEES 17
VALVEFOLD PROBE—
\ VAGINA
VALVEFOLD
MEDIAN OVIDUCT
B
FIGURE 10.—Manner of pushing the valvefold aside and inserting the syringe. (Redrawn from Laidlaw and Eckert,
1962, by permission of The Regents of the University of California.)
Cleaning and Sterilizing the Syringe Tips be available in case the syringe tip does become
clogged. The wire should be cut off squarely
The best way to clean and sterilize the and have no sharp edges to damage the soft
syringe tips is to flush them with water and plastic.
soak them in ordinary household bleach (active Ordinarily, aseptic methods are not necess-
ingredient: sodium hypochlorite) used full sary. When changing from one type of sperm to
strength. Soaking overnight in this material another, the syringe tip can be cleaned and any
loosens adhering semen so the tips can be adhering sperm killed by rinsing thoroughly
flushed clean the following day. This material with water. Precautions to be taken when paral-
also sterilizes and does not affect the plastic. A ysis or septicemia are present in the apiary are
fine wire, 0.005 inch or less in diameter, should outlined next.
Paralysis is caused by a virus. It kills less cin is used. A stock solution is made up with 2.5
rapidly than septicemia. Infected queens re- grams Terramycin (poultry formula—6.25
turned to their nuclei after insemination may grams activity in one-quarter pound) in 100
simply not lay and disapper after a few days. cc. physiological sodium chloride solution and
Others gradually become sluggish and bloated refrigerated. The stock solution is diluted with
with clear body fluid. In this condition they will eight parts of the salt solution as needed. In
live for several days on the comb or on the bot- loading the syringe with semen, a microliter of
tom board. Some will lay a few eggs before they the Terramycin solution both precedes and fol-
become sick. lows the semen. All this is injected, and, as the
These diseases can usually be avoided by syringe is withdrawn, an additional microliter
using free-flying drones of any age or conñned of the Terramycin solution is placed at the
drones as soon as they are sexually mature or at opening of the reproductive tract before remov-
least within 3 weeks after emergence. When- ing the sting and ventral hooks. The syringe is
ever they have appeared, we have controlled used continuously without cleaning. In a similar
these diseases by instituting sterilization pro- method, we substituted 0.25 percent streptomy-
cedures. Between each operation or after every cin sulfate for the Terramycin. At the Bee Man-
third operation, the plastic syringe tip was ster- agement Investigations Laboratory at Madison,
ilized with sodium hypochlorite, and the probe Wis., streptomycin sulfate (0.5 grams per cc.)
and sting hook were sterilized with 70 percent is applied with a brush to the hooks and loaded
alcohol. syringe just prior to insertion of the syringe.
Antibiotics have been used by a number of These methods control septicemia. In the case
workers and can be used routinely. At the Bee of paralysis, sterilization procedures may be
Research Laboratory, Tucson, Ariz., Terramy- necessary because it is a virus disease.
in a nucleus. The spermathecae of 17 queens rate was obtained with single inseminations of
killed soon after insemination contained an 12 fú; in others, 18 /xl was the maximum given
average of 0.87 million sperm (range: 0.22 to without injury.
2.24), about one-sixth the number found in If a certain quantity of semen is given in two
naturally mated queens. inseminations of equal amounts instead of in
If a queen is expected to produce fertilized one insemination, the number of sperm reach-
eggs for a few months only and individual mat- ing the spermatheca will average about 15 per-
ing is not required, an insemination with semen cent greater. (Increases of 1 to 41 percent have
from three to four drones (3 to 4 /¿I.) will be suf- been reported.) Another advantage is that var-
ficient. Average spermathecal sperm counts of iability will be lower. These advantages must,
2.9 and 3.6 million have been reported after in- however, be weighed against the additional
semination with 4 fih effort involved and the additional chance of in-
If a queen is to head a large colony for a year jury during the second insemination.
or more, it is logical to attempt to duplicate the The percentage of laying queens obtained will
number of sperm a queen receives in a com- vary with stock used, but an experienced opera-
pletely satisfying natural mating. On the aver- tor should be able to obtain 90 percent laying
age, naturally mated queens receive about 5 queens after either one or two inseminations
million sperm in their spermathecae. Experi- during the most favorable part of the season if
ments have shown that queens that have no de- the stock is vigorous and disease is absent. Pro-
sire to make further mating nights after their perly inseminated queens have been shown to
first mating contain an average of 5.3 million perform as satisfactorily in brood and honey
sperm in their spermathecae. Further experi- production as naturally mated queens.
ments have shown that queens do not mate Queens that are already laying can also be
naturally after instrumental insemination with inseminated, but egg production must first be
8 microliters semen, but do fly out for further reduced. The technique is most commonly used
mating if given smaller amounts. The number in mating a queen with her own drones to attain
of sperm reaching the spermatheca with a dose a high rate of inbreeding. The virgin queen is
of 8 /¿I. semen has been reported as 3.16 and 5.4 first induced to lay by treating with carbon
million in different experiments. Although the dioxide. When her drones are mature she is
number of sperm reaching the spermatheca in- caged away from her colony with a few atten-
creases as the dose increases, diminishing effi- dant bees for about 4 days to stop or retard egg
ciency makes it hardly worth while to give more development. Then she is inseminated as usual
than 8 /xl. of semen in a single insemination. but with small amounts (3 /xl. or less) of semen
Also, with higher amounts the danger of injury to avoid congestion in the oviducts in case some
is increased. In some experiments a high death eggs are still being produced.
>*2*.
A C
FIGURE 12.—Containers used in queen handling: A, Vial used for queen emergence in an incubator; B, cage for
holding queens individually in nuclei; and C, cage used for queen emergence in an incubator and for emergence
or storage in nursery colonies.
24 AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 390, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
to be removed later when the queen has revived. this colony. The virgin queens emerge into the
In cool weather the cage is opened and placed cages and are fed by worker bees through the
within the cluster. Nuclei in which queens are mesh of the cages. When about a week old, the
lost are removed from the queen yard. Only virgins are taken from the nursery and insem-
nuclei from which laying queens have been re- inated. After insemination, the queens are each
cently removed are reused. caged with a few worker bees and kept in an-
If the queens are permitted to run loose in the other nursery colony for at least 2 days. A day
nuclei, it is best to put the queen cells directly after the nuclei to which they will be introduced
into the nuclei and clip and mark the queens as have been made up, the inseminated queens are
soon as they emerge while they are still recog- given a treatment with carbon dioxide and in-
nizable as newly emerged queens. This method troduced into nuclei. These queens should be
requires spending some time finding the introduced so that they are not released until
queens, and there is always the risk of a stray they are ready to lay.
queen being mistaken for the desired- one. An The nursery for the virgins and that for the
advantage is that the virgin queens destroy any inseminated queens are made up and maintained
emergency queen cells that have been started. similarly to queenless cell builder colonies.
The nucleus hives we use have room for 11 There should be an abundance of bees, honey
combs. We start the nuclei with four combs and and pollen, and two combs of unsealed brood
add more as needed. We find the extra space renewed each week. The caged queens should
convenient during insemination and carbon face the unsealed brood. The nursery should be
dioxide treatment. By adding supers these nu- fed sugar syrup and pollen in the absence of
clei can be permitted to develop into small natural nectar and pollen flows.
colonies suitable for wintering breeder queens. The advantage of maintaining queens in nur-
sery colonies is that the queens are quickly
Maintaining Queens in Nursery Colonies located for inseminations and carbon dioxide
When queens are maintained in nursery col- treatments. The main disadvantage is that the
onies, the mature queen cells are put into in- queens may have excessive accumulation of
dividual cages (fig. 12, C). The cages are placed feces in their rectums and be difficult to insem-
into holding frames, which are put into a strong inate. Also, loss of queens during introduction
queenless colony. Only virgin queens are kept in is a problem with this method.
'1
:i: ...,.».JR.. .;
Ti
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(1) BISHOP, G. H. (5) LAIDLAW, H. H.
1920. FERTILIZATION IN THE HONEY BEE. I. THE 1944. ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION OF THE QUEEN
MALE SEXUAL ORGANS : THEIR HISTOLOGICAL BEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.) : MORPHOLOGICAL
STRUCTURE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTION-
BASIS AND RESULTS. Jour. Morph. 74:
ING. Jour. Expt. Zool. 31: 225-265.
426-465. (The importance to insemina-
(The structure and function of the
drone's reproductive organs.) tion of the reproductive organs of queens
(2) and drones ; the importance of the queen's
1920. FERTILIZATION IN THE HONEY BEE. II. valvefold; new equipment for insemina-
DISPOSAL OF THE SEXUAL FLUIDS IN THE tion including the sting hook and valve-
ORGANS OF THE FEMALE. Jour. Expt. fold probe; better insemination than ear-
Zool. 31: 267-286. (A study of natural lier techniques.)
insemination.)
(6)
(3) CAMARGO, J. M. F. DE and GONCALVES, L. S.
1949. DEVELOPMENT OF PRECISION INSTRUMENTS
1968. NOTE ON TECHNIQUES FOR INSTRUMENTAL
INSEMINATION OF QUEEN HONEYBEES. FOR ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION OF QUEEN
Jour. Apic. Res. 7: 157-161. (Staining BEES. Jour. Econ. Ent. 42: 254-261.
the vaginal orifice with fast green; a (History of equipment for instrumental
manipulator for the valvefold probe.) insemination; description of Laidlaw ap-
(4) FRESNAYE, J. paratus and its use.)
1966. INFLUENCE DES VARIATIONS DE L'AGE DE
(7)
MARURITE SEXUALLE CHEZ LES REINES
1953. AN ANESTHETIZATION CHAMBER FOR THE
D'ABEILLES (APIS MELLIFICA) FECONDEES
PAR INSEMINATION ARTIFICIELLE. Ann. ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION OF QUEEN BEES.
Abeille 9: 237-242. (Sexual maturity Jour. Econ. Ent. 46: 167-168. (Laidlaw
reached later by queens during cool queen holder redesigned to include anes-
weather.) thetization chamber.)
28 AGRICULTURE HANDBOOK 390, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE