Instrumental Insemination of Queen Bees is performed with the compact Micro Instrumental Insemination Station which was designed with portability, precision and cost effectiveness in mind. Whether you inseminate a few queens every year or hundreds this instrument will provide you with years of trouble free service. As with our Queen Station this instrument will accept all forms of syringes.
Included with the Micro Instrumental Insemination Station are:
- CO2 hoses and adapters to connect to your current CO2 source
- Ventral hook
- Sting forceps
- Secondary anesthetization box
- Accessories kit
Instrumental insemination requires highly specialized equipment, skill and dexterity to perform it effectively. The basic process for insemination is:
- Virgin queens emerge into mating nuclei with the entrances covered with queen excluder material to prevent virgins from making mating flights
- 5 to 10 days after emerging from queen cells, virgins are anaesthetized using carbon dioxide
- 2 treatments of CO2 are shown to promote egg laying
- 24 hours after initial anesthesia, queens are anaesthetized again and restrained in the AI apparatus
- Semen (typically 8 microliters in volume, roughly equivalent to 10-12 drones) is introduced into the queen’s median oviduct using a specialized syringe
- Over the next ~24 hours, sperm will migrate from the oviduct to the spermatheca.
- Queens will store around 6-8 million sperm from the artificial insemination, which will be used for their entire reproductive lives
Complete selection of Instrumental Insemination Equipment for Queens is available in another shop category in our online store.
Precision Queen Bee Insemination Tool
Maintaining Instrumental Insemination Equipment
Proper care helps keep your instrumental queen bee insemination tool clean and ready for queen bees insemination work. Because the equipment involves delicate components, careful handling is important during both use and storage.
- Clean syringes and reusable components promptly with appropriate cleaning practices after each session to prevent residue from drying on surfaces and contaminating the drone semen.
- Handle the station gently when adjusting clamps and positioning mechanisms to avoid unnecessary wear.
- Keep small components together in a clean, protected container.
- Store the queen insemination equipment in a dry environment away from excessive heat, moisture, dust, and direct sunlight.
- Before each session, inspect the equipment for residue or damage.
Order your bee artificial insemination equipment online today or contact Meyer Bees to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s included with the queen bee instrumental insemination station?
You get CO2 hoses and adapters that connect to your CO2 source, a ventral hook, sting forceps, a secondary anesthetization box, and an accessories kit.
How does instrumental insemination of queen bees work?
Virgin queens emerge into mating bee nucs with the entrances covered by queen excluder material, so they can’t make mating flights. Five to ten days after emerging, they’re anaesthetized with CO2. Semen is then introduced into the queen’s median oviduct with a specialized queen insemination syringe. Over the next ~24 hours, sperm will migrate from the oviduct to the spermatheca. About 24 hours later, they’re restrained in the insemination apparatus and anaesthetized again. Sometimes a second dose of CO2 is used to anaesthetized them yet again and this is found to encourage egg laying more quickly when released.
How should I prepare the station before artificial inseminating a queen bee?
Start by working in a clean, organized area with all required components within reach. Check that positioning mechanisms move correctly and that the syringe and other parts are clean and ready.
How much drome semen does it take to properly inseminate a queen bee ?
It takes approximately 8 microliters (roughly equivalent to 10-12 mature drone bee semen collections) to be introduced to a queen to properly inseminate the queen bee. Honeybee Queens will store around 6-8 million sperm from the artificial insemination, which will be used for their entire reproductive lives.
Does it work with different types of syringes?
Yes, this instrument accepts all forms of syringes.
Is it suitable for beginners or only for large operations?
It suits both. Whether you inseminate a few queens a year or hundreds, it’s built to give years of trouble-free service. Instrumental insemination of queen bees does take specialized skill and dexterity, so expect a learning curve.
