Finally, success, a laying II Cordovan queen.

Started by van from Arkansas, July 02, 2019, 11:48:52 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Print
Go Down Pages1
User actions

van from Arkansas

July 02, 2019, 11:48:52 AM
I finally succeeded in generating an Instrumentally Inseminated, II, Cordovan Queen, breed to all Cordovan drones.  For newbies:  Cordovan is light color phase of an Italian honey bee.  To me, I see Cordovan as a blond bee among typical brunette honey bees.  So we are discussing a typical honey bee that stands out due to absence of any black markings and reddish throat or chest.

So why my interest, Cordovan, so what?  The answer is hygienic control of Varroa mites.  I have a special Cordovan queen, named Alpha, a three year old that has always had a very low mite count.  However every queen I have generated from Alpha did not possess the hygienic qualities of mom as the daughter queens were breed with local drones.

So, I decided to try my hand at controlled breeding, II: using Alpha drones bred to another Cordovan virgin queens.  Inbreeding with honey bees leads to corrupt, disfunction colonies that eventually die out.  So, no way I could successfully breed virgin queens to the drones of the same queen.

Today, I have about 10 Cordovan queens from different genetic linage of Alpha and by use of green drone frame, generated thousands of Cordovan drones to maintain genetic diversity.

II is a lot of detailed work, requiring expensive equipment, a lot of preplanning involved and I would NOT recommend for the average beekeeper.

However, my goal of developing treatment free bees urges me to keep trying.  Controlled mating is one avenue to generate such.  Note, II queens have a shorter life span than typical queens according to publications by Sue Colby.  Again, II is not a technique I would recommend.  I find it fascinating, but as a science nerd that is typical.

Two years in the making, and now, I finally have a laying II CORDOVAN QUEEN.  Now, onto mite counts in the future and I will keep you posted.  No guarantees, but hope on this end of a hygienic queen.
Van

I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

AR Beekeeper

#1
July 02, 2019, 11:56:14 AM
Good for you, Van!  I'll see you at the meeting on the 8th and you can tell me all about it.  I would think that you have had to overcome many challenges.

Nock

#2
July 02, 2019, 11:59:32 AM
Congrats on your hard work to this point. Hope it pans out.

The15thMember

#3
July 02, 2019, 12:23:51 PM
Awesome, Van!  Hopefully you see good results from the project.  :happy:
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.
https://maranathahomestead.weebly.com/

TheHoneyPump

#4
July 02, 2019, 12:38:33 PM Last Edit: July 02, 2019, 01:14:20 PM by TheHoneyPump
Congratulations!  Surely; this accomplishment takes commitment, planning, and discipline to execute that plan.

The cordovan sure is pretty.  Both the queen and her bees.  Do you find them to be a bit more defensive than other mixes?  I do.  They are NOT aggressive/defensive. I do acknowledge them as calm/gentle. I just notice them to get riled suddenly, less predictable, than my other mixes. They are all calm and gentle and lovey dovey, then SNAP - all up in your face and have to go get some protection.  Much like some other edgy blonds I know.

Have you a picture of this beauty to share?
When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

CoolBees

#5
July 02, 2019, 01:01:50 PM
Congratulations on getting results from all your hard work Van! That's pretty amazing. Pls do keep us updated.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

van from Arkansas

#6
July 02, 2019, 02:30:13 PM
General set up:

[attachment=0][/attachment]

The blue tubing is for carbon dioxide gas which puts the queen to sleep.
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

van from Arkansas

#7
July 02, 2019, 02:30:55 PM
Close up:

[attachment=0][/attachment]
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

van from Arkansas

#8
July 02, 2019, 02:31:37 PM
Super close up:

[attachment=0][/attachment]
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

van from Arkansas

#9
July 02, 2019, 02:37:08 PM
Quote from: AR Beekeeper on July 02, 2019, 11:56:14 AM
Good for you, Van!  I'll see you at the meeting on the 8th and you can tell me all about it.  I would think that you have had to overcome many challenges.

Yes Sir, be a pleasure to see you and talk.
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Nock

#10
July 02, 2019, 02:41:05 PM
The pics take it up a notch. Thanks for sharing.

The15thMember

#11
July 02, 2019, 04:00:16 PM
Quote from: Nock on July 02, 2019, 02:41:05 PM
The pics take it up a notch. Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely!!  That?s incredible.  Such delicate work!
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air, I am she that walks unseen.
https://maranathahomestead.weebly.com/

BeeMaster2

#12
July 02, 2019, 05:52:01 PM
Van,
Any chance of you making a video of you actually doing II?
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Bee North

#13
July 02, 2019, 06:28:17 PM
Congratulations Van.
Thanks for your efforts and contribution on the war against mites!
Fascinating stuff.

van from Arkansas

#14
July 02, 2019, 06:37:08 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on July 02, 2019, 05:52:01 PM
Van,
Any chance of you making a video of you actually doing II?
Jim Altmiller

Jim, I do not own a video cam.  I have my iPhone.  However I have considered a GoPro.  Any suggestions?

Van
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

BeeMaster2

#15
July 02, 2019, 06:51:33 PM
Van,
Your iPhone will make great videos, you just need something or someone to hold it.
Jim Altmiller
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

FatherMichael

#16
July 02, 2019, 08:04:07 PM
Fantastic!

Love this clinical/scientific approach.

The nuc of Italians I bought have some Cordovan strains.  The queen was solid gold when I released her.  They are sure pretty.

But to learn they are also mite resistant ...
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

van from Arkansas

#17
July 02, 2019, 09:42:52 PM
Brother Michael, to be clear, Cordovan honey bees are not mite resistant.  By chance, I have one Cordovan queen, named Alpha, a 3.5 year old that appears to lay mite resistant honeybees.

However, the daughters of Alpha, breed to area drones, are not mite resistant.  That is why I do the controlled breeding, II.  Hopefully by controlling, selecting the drones, I can pass along Alpha?s hygienic traits to her virgin queen daughters, bred to selected Cordovan drones by the instrumental insemination process.
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Ben Framed

#18
July 02, 2019, 10:07:49 PM Last Edit: July 03, 2019, 09:09:16 AM by Ben Framed
Quote from: AR Beekeeper on July 02, 2019, 11:56:14 AM
Good for you, Van!  I'll see you at the meeting on the 8th and you can tell me all about it.  I would think that you have had to overcome many challenges.

That is one meeting that I would like to be in!!!! Congratulation Mr Van!! I havnt got past reading this post and will go back and read the rest, I just had to congratulate you before I read further!!
Phillip
Print
Go Up Pages1
User actions