Instrumental Insemination price please

[Hombre]

In the late 19th Century did not some of the early researchers not do something like that allowing the queen and drones etc. to fly free in large halls?

I have some recollection of reading some olde English text from somewhere referring to this or something that might have been slightly akin to it.

More by way of investigating what happened rather than a practical exploitation of the phenomena.

Excellent description Hivemaker, thank you.

 

[rickvv]

Further to Hivemaker's and other posts,Dr Peter Schleys apparatus complete (including mounted microscope, light and CO2 source) cost approx 1700 euro. However you also would need a course to learn how to use the eqptmt and the choice is either Sue Cobey (USA), or Gilber Blast (Saarlouis-Gemany) .I guess this would add another £1500 (travel,etc.)
I am also interested in II and am hoping for a course in the UK (perhaps you could volonteer Hivemaker?!)
Hivemaker has given a very good descriptive account which is also describedin detail by David Woodward in his book Queen Bee,biolology,rearing and breeding.
I think I am no different from many beekeepers who would like to breed better (Queen)bees,but who feel unable to control the fertilisation unless II is used. As far as my geograhic location is concerned, whatever the the temperament of the Queen Bee, her off spring usually result in feisty, agressive bad tempered colonies, taking a lot of fun out of beekeeping, unless I keep buying new queens ( I could of course selectively try to cull all other bees in a 6 mile radius -probably some 100-200 hives I would estimate,but that is nonsense of course)
For the small number of queens that beekeepers want(20 to 50 ),maybe a selective "equipment hire" could be set up ? (After satisfactory attending a II course?)

PS I have no commerial interests in Dr Schley's equipment, except that his products seem to be preferred by all who have used it


Dr Schley's website
http://www.besamungsgeraet.de/__en/

 

[wightbees]

That's the same place i was looking Rickvv, but i do think that there's cheaper routes to take if you do enough research.

 

[Hivemaker.]

http://www.latshawapiaries.com/

 

[beebreeder]

Lets be honest here, this is a part of beekeeping that if you need to look at budget before you set up then you may as well forget it. I am not being rude but as HM says there is no real budget because most of the consumables have a limited lifespan and need to be replaced every year irrespective of use. This is in effect an operation, hygiene is paramount, I have had it and so I think has HM, you II the queen and follow everything through, she even starts to lay and all looks well, then one day she is found dead in the Mini Nuc, infection is often the cause, and one of the easiest ways to infect the queen is with faeces left on the drones body when they deficate in the flight cage, this then contaminates the semen and the next you know your new queen is dead. It may sound like a great idea and if you are really keen then do like I did and read anything you can find for a couple of years. If after that time the drive is still there then you may have enough colonies to be able to look after your new queens, also to generate drones in sufficient numbers and from the correct stocks to gain the required result. In short it is an awfull lot more work than most of us expect, me included.
Regards
kev
my kit is based on the Schley principle

 

[wightbees]

Hi Beebreeder
I understand what you are saying and i have looked at the Schley kits
I agree a lot of reading is needed and that is what i have started to do.
My plan is to build up stock and also buy parts that are needed as i can find them.
What scope do you use and strength? There seems to be a wide choice on scopes.
I'm not going to go out and buy all this kit without knowing what I'm getting into but
i need to ask the questions to learn the process.
regards
WB

 

[Hivemaker.]

Comparison studys.

http://entomology.ucdavis.edu/courses/beeclasses/IIvsNM.pdf

 

[Bcrazy]

Members,
The post number 8 by Hivemaker has to be one of the most informative posts ever written on this forum. I can now understand where hivemaker is coming from regarding his beekeeping. His methodology must be second to none. All I can say is I wish............. I were near his standards.
Hivemaker congratulations on an excellent post.


Mo.

 

[TDI]

To the link above, the answer that the browser gave me:

Server Error

404 - File or directory not found.

The resource you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.

 

[Hivemaker.]

The resource you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.

There is a fair chance of that happening since 2011, thank you for letting us know, much appreciated.

 

[TDI]

Thank you!

Surely that was not my point. But i seek any further informations regarding this field, artificial insemination, because i'm sure that without it it's impossible to make a proper selection of queens.

 

[Hivemaker.]

....http://169.237.77.3/courses/beeclasses/IIvsNM.pdf

 

[TDI]

Thank you very much!

 

[REDWOOD]

Very interesting, I must ask the question hivemaker, you said that you aI purely for research reasons, but have you found a specific cross that you find meets all your needs

 

[thebeeman]

The Uni of Davis still has a lot of Archive documents if you have a dig around

 

[B+.]

I agree a lot of reading is needed and that is what i have started to do.
My plan is to build up stock and also buy parts that are needed as i can find them.
What scope do you use and strength? There seems to be a wide choice on scopes.

A 20*stereo is more than adequate. The brand is immaterial. You just need an upright image and enough space to operate the instument under the scope. The angle of the queen holder needs to be approx. 45 degrees and, if you extend that line up through the insemination syringe, you need as much working space as you can get.

"The Instrumental Insemination of the Queen Bee" by Friedrich Ruttner (Apimondia) 1976 has drawings and measurements for anyone intersted in making an instrument.

 

[For want of a better word]

I have found that a DVD ... Inseminatacon Instrumental de Abejas Reinas published by The Ohio State University, feat. Susan Cobey very useful. I believe there may be a version in English.

Abelo??? does a lot of kit reasonably ( 1/2 prices quoted here) CO2 kits of food quality are available from tropical fish suppliers. I purchased a stereo microscope with optics equal to the £6K beast I was using for £160 that included led lighting.
Sting / Ventral hook holders, are pin drill holders ( 0 - 0.50 mm ) with long shafts ( tool supplier £1.50 ea) Flat steel plate + magnetic tool holders ( Draper) for holding all the tools + a bit of ingenuity in holder clamps... ? £60 ( Chinese lookalikie mag stands around £15?....)
+ time and timing timing timing !

My work is totally the opposite of most as I am trying to get back to a near native black bee. I have however managed to maintain my own New Zealand Italian strain "Carniolian free" it seems... but time will tell as these were my practice pieces!

AI comes with a warning.. if you have a boat, you will never see it in the summer, and if you ride motorcycles, prepare for winter riding!

Yeghes Da!

 

[B+.]

CO2 kits of food quality are available from tropical fish suppliers. I purchased a stereo microscope with optics equal to the £6K beast I was using for £160 that included led lighting.
Sting / Ventral hook holders, are pin drill holders ( 0 - 0.50 mm ) with long shafts ( tool supplier £1.50 ea) Flat steel plate + magnetic tool holders ( Draper) for holding all the tools + a bit of ingenuity in holder clamps... ? £60 ( Chinese lookalikie mag stands around £15?....)
+ time and timing timing timing !

It looks like you have it all sussed there...a lot cheaper than my Schley kit too!

How are you controlling the CO2 dose? You'll need a steady stream flowing over the queen at about 1 bubble/sec through a washing flask. I prefer Dr Schleys device which looks just like a syringe with 2 plastic balls inside. Its just one less thing that can add variability to the process.

I'm cautious about Chinese products. The quality/safety just doesn't seem to be there IMHO

Incidentally, I've used CO2 from sodastream type cartridges and even from welding supplies merchants. So long as you have a course and fine adjustment gauge to step down the pressure, it should be ok. All CO2 goes through scrubbers so the gas itself should be ok (but, its always best to test on one queen before you start work on a batch of them)

 

[Thymallus]

My work is totally the opposite of most as I am trying to get back to a near native black bee. !

I'm a bit intrigued here.
Most bee keepers in Wales seem to claim their bees are native black bees. If so, why the need for II and trying to get back to near native?

Genetically, at least, I would have thought with all the crossovers etc "getting back" is near to impossible, perhaps that why you said near?

 

[For want of a better word]

Try this chap for CO2 supplies.. a 20 0z cylinder will last quite a time, and the system has a @bubble@ flowmeter attached
E or phone him
Very helpful

.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pressurised-CO2-system-for-your-planted-aquarium-including-2kg-co2-cylinder-/231459891552?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item35e415a960