How do Queen breeders prove their exported animals are second generation?

SilentSkeptic · March 30, 2016, 02:46:10 AM

It is a requirement of exporters here running commercial captive breeding programs to prove that their animals are second generation captive bred. I am just wondering how beekeepers do this? I am not planning on breeding bees, just interested as I may use this information in captive breeding another type of insect.

Also how often do breeders need to supplement their existing stock with new genetic diversity. And when you do this where do you get the bees from, from the wild or from other breeders? Thanks.

little john · March 30, 2016, 04:22:04 AM

Quote from: SilentSkeptic on March 30, 2016, 02:46:10 AM
It is a requirement of exporters here running commercial captive breeding programs to prove that their animals are second generation captive bred.

As honeybees cannot be bred in captivity (yet ...), such legislation is not extended to honeybee exports.

More information is available within "Commercial Beekeeping in Australia", a publication by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation on behalf of the Government of Australia.

https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/downloads/07-059

LJ

SilentSkeptic · March 30, 2016, 11:17:18 AM

Thanks for the link. Very helpful.

GSF · March 30, 2016, 01:58:21 PM

As honeybees cannot be bred in captivity (yet ...), such legislation is not extended to honeybee exports.

Hey LJ, What about AI?

little john · March 30, 2016, 05:29:38 PM

Well ... I suppose it depends on what is meant by 'captive breeding' ...

My own take on this is that captive breeding implies an essentially 'natural' breeding process, but one which takes place within a cage or similar confinement. A.I. (or I.I.) is of course totally artificial, and entails drone selection by humans. But - I take your point.

For me, this subject is rather 'close to home' - so I'm a bit defensive about the terminology, sorry about that - as I've been working on a system for the captive mating of queen honeybees for some time now using a wind-tunnel which selects drones for strength and endurance. The mating process itself within the tunnel is as natural as it's possible to be - with the queen flying into a headwind (at least, she thinks she is, and so do the drones), and so forth.

But - I'm not holding my breath with this project, as many have tried and all - thus far - have failed. It'll soon be time for drones to make their appearance, and then I can continue where I left off last year ...

LJ

GSF · March 31, 2016, 10:30:33 AM

Hey LJ, Keep us posted on the wind tunnel thing, sounds interesting.

Richard M · March 31, 2016, 10:00:41 PM

Quote from: SilentSkeptic on March 30, 2016, 02:46:10 AM
It is a requirement of exporters here running commercial captive breeding programs to prove that their animals are second generation captive bred. I am just wondering how beekeepers do this? I am not planning on breeding bees, just interested as I may use this information in captive breeding another type of insect.

Also how often do breeders need to supplement their existing stock with new genetic diversity. And when you do this where do you get the bees from, from the wild or from other breeders? Thanks.

I think Captive Breeding in this context usually refers to native Australian wildlife, generally for the pet trade (birds, reptiles etc) but possibly I guess potential livestock such as Emus (good luck with that one), the intention being to prevent depopulation of wild stocks by capture and removal.

I doubt it would apply to honeybees because at best they are a feral animal, you couldn't by any stretch call them Australian natives.