About this course

Develop your skills in queen bee artificial insemination

Artificial insemination can help experienced bee breeders and researchers improve control over honey bee breeding programs. This two-day, hands-on course will help you develop your skills in collecting honey bee semen and artificially inseminating queen bees using specialised equipment and techniques.

You’ll learn how to:

  • maintain good hygiene and use artificial insemination equipment correctly
  • collect honey bee semen using appropriate techniques
  • artificially inseminate queen bees
  • understand the basics of closed-population bee breeding programs.

Whether you’re an experienced bee breeder or a researcher looking to refine your techniques, this course will help you build your practical skills and confidence in queen bee artificial insemination and controlled breeding.

Is this course right for me?

Before registering, check that this course suits your experience and goals. This two-day course is designed for experienced bee breeders and researchers who want to develop their skills in semen collection and the artificial insemination of queen bees. You should have a sound understanding of honey bee management and be comfortable working carefully with bees, small equipment and detailed procedures. If you have experience in bee breeding and want to improve your artificial insemination skills, click on the register now button.

At a glance:

Location: Paterson campus
Course duration: 2 days
Start date: Various
Number of units: 1
Indicative fees: $1,320 GST-free
Accredited Course: Yes

Details

  • Practice good hygiene and technique with artificial insemination equipment
  • Collect honey bee semen
  • Artificially inseminate queen bees
  • Understand basic bee breeding

$1,320 GST-free, which includes all learning resources.

Day 1

  • Introduction
  • Breeding program theory
  • Insemination video: Part 1
  • Workspace hygiene and mixing saline solution
  • Artificial insemination instrument setup
  • Drone eversion and hygiene requirements
  • Honey bee semen collection and troubleshooting
  • Queen insemination
  • Workplace cleanup and storage

Day 2

  • Workplace setup
  • Insemination video: Part 2
  • Honey bee semen collection
  • Queen insemination, marking, caging
  • Semen collection and insemination troubleshooting
  • Post-insemination queen care
  • Nucleus colony management
  • Insemination instrument cleanup and storage

Participants must:

  • Be experienced honey bee breeders, commercial beekeepers, or research personnel with a sound foundational understanding of honey bee colony management and queen rearing techniques.
  • Provide details regarding their prior queen rearing experience and current hive numbers in their registration/enquiry form for prerequisite screening.
  • Possess high fine motor skills, steady hand-eye coordination, and visual acuity to manipulate delicate anatomical structures and operate micro-instruments under magnification.
  • Be comfortable working with live bees, handling precision equipment, and adhering to strict bio-hygiene and micro-sanitation protocols.

Language, Literacy, Numeracy, and Digital Capability Requirements

To complete this course successfully, participants will need:

  • Reading: Interpreting precision equipment operation manuals, sanitation/sterilization protocols, closed-population breeding system diagrams, and research literature.
  • Writing: Maintaining detailed breeding records, recording semen collection dosages ($\mu\text{L}$), logging queen emergence/insemination dates, and tracking genetic line records.
  • Numeracy: Measuring precise micro-volumes of semen ($6\text{–}10\ \mu\text{L}$ per queen), calculating CO₂ anesthesia exposure durations, tracking temperature/humidity levels during queen incubation, and recording colony performance metrics.
  • Oral Communication & Hearing: Engaging effectively with expert instructors during hands-on practical activities and discussing genetic selection principles with peers.
  • Digital Literacy: Basic computer or smartphone skills.

This course has been mapped to the national unit of competency AHCBEK402 Perform queen bee artificial insemination.



Additional Information

For information on students rights and responsibilities, and the Tocal College Code of Practice see Industry qualification student policies.



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