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Symposium – Honeybee Reproductive Technologies

July 20 – July 23

This Symposium will be a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual options to reach a wide international audience.

Register Online

The interest and need to advance bee breeding techniques and to address the conservation of threatened subspecies and ecotypes is of global concern. The focus of this symposium is to demonstrate and share reproductive technologies and bring together the top researchers and stakeholders from around the world to share their expertise, and concerns, and encourage collaborations in finding sustainable solutions.

Specialized honey bee reproductive technologies are essential to establish practical bee breeding programs and promote conservation of the genetic diversity of honey bees subspecies.

Presentations, workshops, and demonstrations will focus on the practical application of techniques of instrumental insemination and cryopreservation. Presentations by the leaders in their field will share their expertise. Group discussion sessions will encourage collaborations in finding sustainable solutions to current challenges of global concern.

Tentative Agenda – Speakers to be Announced  as Program is Finalized

Conference Arrival – Wed. July 20 –

Wine & Cheese, Mead Tasting.   Reception 7 PM

Thurs. July 21, Day 1  Pullman

Applying Insemination & Cryopreservation Techniques

Morning Session

  1. Application of instrumental insemination and challenges in bee breeding – Susan Cobey
  2. Germplasm cryopreservation and use in honey bee breeding – Dr. Brandon Hopkins
  3. Queen and Drone Quality Control, Parameters and Measurements-
  4. TBA

Lunch Break

Afternoon Session

  1. Embryo freezing in honey bees – Another potential tool for bee breeding –
  2. Advances in cryogenic techniques for semen freezing
  3. Successful implementation of a large-scale insemination program
  4. Functional use of genetic repositories: The potential for honey bees –

Friday, July 22  Day 2  Pullman

Use of reproductive technology in sustaining honey bees – Conservation and Breeding

Morning Session

  1. Conservation and the role of genetic reserves –
  2. The use of marker-assisted selection in honey bees –
  3. Conservation and distribution of endemic subspecies –
  4. Role of instrumental insemination and cryopreservation in the reintroduction of Caucasian honey bees to the US – Dr. Walter Sheppard

Lunch Break

Afternoon Session

Group Discussions – Use of, Future Planning, Collaborations

  1. Revisit the worldwide network of germplasm repositories for conservation and breeding – Rationale and next steps
  2. Use of, Future Planning, Collaborations
  3. Collaborations in Breeding Programs, Methodology, Challenges
  4. Organizing working Grp – Germplasm Repositories /Cryo Banking –
  5. Working Grp -Standardizing Best Practices Insemination techniques – Training Needs/Methods –

Fri. Evening Dinner & Gala

Sat.  July 23 Day 3  – Othello  (2 hr. bus ride)

Morning Workshops / Demonstrations  –

  1. Techniques and Specialized Beekeeping Methods

a.  Insemination Techniques and Equipment

b.  Demos  –  Rearing & identifying drones, Banking Virgins & IIQs, Queen introductions

  1. Cryopreservation Techniques

a.  Demo. of Methodology – Collection & preparations, freezing

b.  “Tapping the Tank” – Results, Sperm viability, Establishing viable colonies.

Lunch Break
Afternoon Session
Future Planning Discussions
  1. Demos Continued – Insemination and Cryopreservation Techniques
  2. Group Discussions – Use of, Future Planning, Collaborations –
  3. Wrap Up Session – Refreshments, Mead Tasting.
Buses back to Pullman
Washington State University