Freeze-killed brood techinque used to identify hygienic colonies
Hygiene is a natural behaviour of honey bee workers that helps confer resistance to brood diseases and to Varroa. As with many honey bee behaviours, hygiene is heritable meaning that whether or not a colony is hygienic can be influenced by breeding. Hygiene is found in British honey bees but only about 10% of British colonies are hygienic. Thus, hygiene can be increased by bee breeding.
The workshop is targeted at more experienced beekeepers who are interested in queen rearing and breeding. It will give background on hygiene and then show beekeepers how to test their own colonies for hygiene using the freeze-killed brood bioassay. Colonies found to be hygienic can then be used in bee breeding and queen rearing.
The workshop will be taught by Professor Francis Ratnieks, Dr. Karin Alton, Mr. Norman Carreck and Mr. Gianluigi Bigio of the Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects (LASI) at the University of Sussex. LASI is investigating hygienic behaviour as part of the Sussex Plan for Honey Bee Health & Well Being and this session is aimed at helping beekeepers benefit from scientific knowledge.
| Plan of workshop | |
|---|---|
| 1300-1330 | Meet at the Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects |
| 1330-1400 | Lecture 1. Background to hygiene |
| 1400-1430 | Lecture 2. Hygienic behaviour and bee breeding |
| 1430-1500 | Demonstration 1. Screening hives for hygiene using the freeze-killed brood bioassay |
| 1500-1530 | Break |
| 1530-1600 | Demonstration 2. Quantifying levels of hygiene |
| 1600-1630 | Demonstration & Lecture. How to obtain and handle liquid nitrogen |
| 1630-1700 | Final points |
| 1700 | Depart |
Other information
Dates
The workshop will be taught twice: 1300-1700 Fri 8th June or 1300-1700 Sat 9th June 2012 NOTE: Friday workshop now FULL
Venue
The Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton
Cost
Attendance is free and is limited to 25 people per session. Please note places will be allocated on a first come basis.
Registration
Please complete the booking below.
Equipment
As we will be opening some hives, please bring a veil and whatever else you normally wear.
Travel
Sussex University is easily reached by road and rail. Falmer station is 10 minutes walk. Parking is available in visitor car parks for a small fee.
Maps
Campus maps
Website
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/lasi
Book now
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Please note: If you book a place on these workshops whilst the booking is still on-line, please assume that you have a place on the day. Further information will be emailed to you closer to the date of the workshop.
