Milford chronicle., 1947-11-28
Scientists Seek
Superbees Race
Parenthood Via Gas Permits
Inbreeding to Produce
Valuable Strains.

Observation-Disclosures of the
agriculture department announced
that they are on the trail of race
Of superbees. They said that with
the aid of anesthetic gas they can
step up the entire process of bee in
breeding.
The unique knack of being able
to lay eggs that will produce drone
or male bees without ever being
mated is an unusual feature of the
virgin queen bee.
But the scientists weren't satis-
fed. They wanted to be able to
breed the virgin queen back to her
own sons to produce strains with de-
sirable characteristics.
The hitch was that the virgin
queen may not lay eggs for weeks
or even months after reaching ma
turity. Chalk up "a days more for
the drone to develop and the queen
was too old to be mated.
All Is Changed.
Science has changed all that.
Given a whiff of anesthetic and arti-
ficially fertilized, the virgin queen
will lay eggs almost Immediately,
leaving plenty of time for her to be
bred to her sons before her produc-
tive span is past.
The agriculture department could
scarcely suppress its excitement as
it disclosed this innovation in the sex
life of bees. The gas used was de-
scribed as a carbon dioxide an
| eSthetic."
Self-breeding long has been known
in the plant world. 1t is the principle
that made possible hybrid corn, the
corn of phenomenal yields and
hardihood that has put millions oi
dollars of added cash in the pockets
of farmers.
Department entomologists foresee
that gas induced motherhood will
lead to production of such tailor
made" strains as:
Good natured bees that will no
sting humans. Fierce bees that will
venture into fields they've stayeC
away from because of fear of insec
enemies. Bees that are super hone.
i. producers. Bees with long tongues
that can collect nectar and pollel
from blossoms they could not reacl
, before. Bees that will cultivate
taste for one orchard or one crop
Bees that will be immune to dis
ease.
Not Too ChOOsy.
The possibility of bee parenthoo
, via gas was discovered about yea
ago by a staff of entomologists a
, the departments Louisiana exper
/ ment station. DR.. Otto Mackensen {
the Louisiana station and DR.. w.
t Roberts of the Wisconsin static
now have developed equipment fo
= close inbreeding that is ready fC
r use by the layman beekeeper.
According to the department, tn
queen bee normally is not to
choosy when she picks mate. Unit
artificial dissemination of bees we
made practical several years ag
it was almost impossible to mail
tain pure blood lines of bees.
1t is through planned parenthoc
J within insect families that scientis
develop pure blood lines. They ca
''pick their genes" and weed out III
. desirable traits and emphasize d
! sirable characteristics. The G;
|. treatment speeds up this inbreedin
Its discovery came at time wht
/ agriculturists were alarmed ov,
the fast declining bee population
the United States. Entomologists b
} Ieve the new technique may r
verse this trend, which was alarr
ing because bees are essential
pollination of farm crops.
e The department refused to spec
d late about the potentialities of cher
% ical fertilization for animals-cattl
s hogs, horses or perhaps humi
- beings.
1t But" a spokesman said, 9TH
J. we never thought we could do
with bees es."---------.--------