Preserving Honey Bee Genetics

Preserving Honey Bee Genetics

Washington State University is the only U.S. entity that has an USDA permit allowing them to import honey bee semen from around the world. One area of focus in the conservation effort is importing honey bee semen from Old World populations throughout Europe to increase the US. honey bee population's genetic diversity .

Washington State University entomology research association and Apiary Program lab manager Brandon Hopkins shares more about challenge of gathering the fresh honey bee semen. The first is finding the drones.

Hopkins: "It has to be the right time of year. These drones are the males in the honey bee hive to get the semen. They represent usually 2 percent or less of the bees that you see. Normally people have not even seen a drone. They don't collect pollen or nectar. They are really a burden on the hive when things aren't real good. So they only produced them in a certain time of year. Then when things dry up or get bad, they get rid of the males because they aren't a help in the hive. We have to be there the right time of year, when the males are there and we're able to get them. Then only a small portion are mature enough to produce semen. Then those that are mature — they only produce one microliter of semen. The process of collecting a large enough of volume of honey bee semen is a struggle. Then getting it back in good condition — that means it hasn't been exposed to high or low temperatures.

To put a microliter in perspective —- it takes 100 microliters to make a rain drop.

To learn more and to donate to the WSU bee program, visit http://bees.wsu.edu/.

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