Effect of Above-Freezing Temperatures on Temporary Storage of Honeybee Spermatozoa

Summary

Honeybee (Apis mellifera) semen was diluted 1: 1 with saline and stored at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 35°C for 2 days, or was not stored (control). Each of 111 queens was inseminated with 4 μ1 of the diluted semen. The effects of storage temperatures were evaluated by counting the number of spermatozoa that entered the spermatheca. Mean counts were ⩽3·1 × 10⁵ when spermatozoa were stored ⩽10°C; storage at 20°C and 25°C resulted in the highest counts (mean = 1·4 × 10⁶). The response in millions of spermatozoa in the spermatheca (Y) to storage temperature between 10 and 25°C (X) was Y = −2·74 + 0·397X–0·00935X² (r = 0·78, n = 34).