July 20-23, 2022

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, 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.

Wednesday, July 20 – Pullman: Conference Arrival

7:00 pm – Wine & Cheese Reception (Ensminger Pavilion)

Thursday, July 21, Day 1 – Pullman – Ensminger Pavilion

8:30 am – Welcome and announcements with coffee and refreshments

Applying Insemination & Cryopreservation Techniques

Morning Session – 45 minutes each, 15 min question/discussion

9:00 – Application of instrumental insemination and challenges in bee breeding – Susan Cobey, Washington State University, USA

10:00 – Successful implementation of a large-scale insemination program in Poland – Dr. Malgorzata Bieńkowska, Apiculture Division of Horticulture Institute in Pulawy, Poland

 11:00 – Germplasm cryopreservation and use in breeding programs  – Dr. Brandon Hopkins, Washington State University, USA

12:00 – 1:30 Lunch (provided)

Afternoon Session – 45 minutes each, 15 min question/discussion

1:30 – Reproductive physiology: Drone and queen quality – Dr. Nick Naeger, Washington State University, USA

2:30 – Advances in cryogenic techniques for semen freezing – Victoria Viert, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany

3:30 – Role of instrumental insemination and cryopreservation in the reintroduction of Caucasian honey bees to the US – Dr. Walter S. Sheppard, Washington State University, USA

4:30 – 5:00 – Discussion. Functional use of genetic repositories: The potential for honey bees – Dr. Brandon Hopkins, Garrett Dodds, Dr. Walter S. Sheppard, Victoria Viert

Friday, July 22, Day 2 – Pullman – Ensminger Pavilion

8:30 am – Announcements with coffee and refreshments

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

Morning Session – 45 minutes each, 15 min question/discussion

9:00 – A new educational approach to honey bee breeding and queen rearing – Dr. Robyn Underwood, Kate Anton, Penn State University, USA

10:00 – Commercial beekeeping as a platform for selection – Megan Mahoney, Ma Honey Apiaries, USA

11:00 – The use of instrumental insemination in a trait intensive selection program – Garrett Dodd, USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

12:00 – 1:30 Lunch (provided)

Afternoon Session – Group Discussions – Use of, Future Planning, Collaborations

1:30 – Revisit the establishment of worldwide network of germplasm repositories for honey bee conservation and breeding – Rationale and next steps.

15 min Intro – Dr. Brandon Hopkins and Dr. Walter S. Sheppard

3:15 – Collaborations in Breeding Programs, Methodology, Challenges –

15 min Intro- Susan Cobey and Dr. Malgorzata Bieńkowska

4:45 – Final thoughts, announcements

6:00 pm Evening Dinner @ The Foundry, Pullman, WA

Saturday, July 23, Day 3 – Othello, WA  (2 hr. bus ride)

8:00 – Departure for Othello (2 hr bus ride)

10:00 – New Video Launch – Cryopreservation Technique

10:10 –  Demo. of Methodology: collection & preparations, freezing – Dr. Brandon Hopkins & Victoria Viert

12:00 – 1:15 Lunch (provided from Iron Works) with New Video Launch – Instrumental Insemination

1:15 – Insemination Techniques and Specialized Beekeeping Methods. Display of historical evolution of instrumentation with Sue Cobey, Dr. Malgorzata Bieńkowska

2:30 – Working Groups

1) Standardizing insemination techniques, Training needs/methods

2) Germplasm Repositories/Cryo Banking – international collaborations, advisory to USDA-NAGP species committee

4:00 – Wrap Up Session: Final Discussion

4:30 – Buses back to Pullman