Matchmakers' Tricky Task:  A Comparative Review of Instrumental Insemination in Apis mellifera and the Associated Challenges in Apis cerana indica

S. R. Adheena; M. R. Srinivasan; V. R. Saminathan; N. Manikanda Boopathi; S. Marimuthu; V. Deva Dharshini; M. Dharani; R .K. Aliya Mumthas; G. Mahesh Boopathy

doi:10.13102/sociobiology.v73i3.12663

Authors

S. R. Adheena Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641003, India
M. R. Srinivasan Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641003, India
V. R. Saminathan Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641003, India
N. Manikanda Boopathi Department of Plant Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641003, India
S. Marimuthu Centre for Agricultural Nanotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641003, India
V. Deva Dharshini Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641003, India
M. Dharani Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641003, India
R .K. Aliya Mumthas Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641003, India
G. Mahesh Boopathy Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641003, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v73i3.12663

Keywords:

honey bee breeding, drone congregation areas (DCA), reproductive behavior, controlled mating, quenn mating biology

Abstract

Instrumental insemination is an important tool in honey bee breeding as it provides controlled mating, genetic improvement, and conservation of valuable traits. This technique is widely practised in the European honey bee (Apis mellifera), but its application in the Indian honey bee (Apis cerana indica) is limited due to species-specific biological, behavioural and technical challenges. In this review, honey bee biology relevant to instrumental insemination is analysed, and a comparative assessment of the technique in A. mellifera and A. cerana indica is presented. Key aspects such as caste differentiation and sex determination, drone congregation areas, natural mating behaviour, procedures of instrumental insemination, and factors influencing insemination success such as queen age, semen collection and handling, carbon dioxide exposure, and post-insemination management are discussed. In A. cerana indica, smaller body size, reduced spermathecal capacity, and increased sensitivity to handling are identified as major constraints affecting insemination efficiency and post-insemination performance. Methodological limitations, procedural standardization, and operator-dependent variability influencing insemination outcomes are also analyzed. Understanding these interspecific differences is essential for refining species-specific protocols and expanding the application of instrumental insemination for selective breeding, genetic conservation, and sustainable apiculture. The review also outlines future research prospects aimed at improving efficiency and promoting wider adoption of instrumental insemination, particularly in indigenous honey bee species.

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