Bee Instrumental Insemination Group

Introduction to BIIG

The Bee Instrumental Insemination Group, (B I I G), has evolved from the Instrumental Insemination Group, Information Dissemination Day (IINGRIDD).

In the early IINGRIDD years the group had annual meetings and Mary Dartnall publicised the group by mail and in BBKA News. Mary wanted to get beekeepers discussing instrumental insemination and encouraged the sharing of ideas. Sharing ideas worked well with lectures and demonstrations from knowledgeable and experienced practitioners spliced in with video presentations.

John Pollard was the driving force on the technical side, and various types of Instrumental Insemination equipment were set up to demonstrate their design differences, and methods of using them. Learning more about the techniques and skills required enabled coaching of others as well exploring new possibilities in equipment and methods to achieve successful Insemination.

Several attempts had been made, by Ron Hoskins, to put the group on a more formal footing as more participants attended meetings. This was finally achieved on 16 August 2003, with the election of a committee.

Aims

The aims of the Bee Instrumental Insemination Group are:

• The promotion and development of Instrumental Insemination Techniques.
• The conservation of races and strains of honey bees.
• The improvement of strains to suit local conditions and enhance resistance to diseases and pests.

The group encourages members to share experiences and ideas, thereby raising the proficiency of beginners and experts alike.