Morphometry procedures and standards

[Mellifera Crofter]

Is freezing the best - or kindest - way of killing bees? I'm so reluctant to do that. I thought I was going to look around the hive and pick up dead bees, but from reading the above, it seems to me that is not a solution.

[gavin]

I've previously mucked about doing morphometry with the dead bees off the floor in spring, but I don't think that it is worth it other than to get experience with the techniques. Too many were unreadable in DrawWing, and there is the issue of course that you really need young bees otherwise you include the drifters in your sample.

Sometimes you just have to do unpleasant things to your bees. Is freezing the kindest way? Probably. Can't think of an easier way that leaves the bees in good shape. Maybe soapy water is faster but the cold approach makes them torpid before they meet their end, just as happens with bees that didn't make it back into the colony.

best wishes

Gavin

[Jon]

. I first find the queen and put her somewhere safe.

That is crucial. I know someone who found his queen frozen in the sample after he took it out of the freezer and it was a Galtee queen which he had bought!
As in any aspect of beekeeping, if you don't know for sure where the queen is, don't do the manipulation.

[Rosie]

I know someone who found his queen frozen in the sample after he took it out of the freezer

A friend of mine did that last season - the plot turned out to be a good one as well. We used the queenless colony as a successful cell starter.