SCHLEY instrumental insemination glass tips (pack of 5)

🔬 The end that enters the queen

In instrumental insemination the semen is not deposited in the spermatheca: it is left in the median oviduct, and from there the spermatozoa migrate on their own afterwards. That demands a delicate insertion, and this is where the bevelled, fire-polished end of the tip does its work: the angled finish gives a clean leading edge to work its way in without snagging or scoring the oviduct wall. Fire-polishing removes the cutting edge that dry-cut glass would leave — precisely what causes microlesions in the oviduct wall.

📐 Control of the semen column

The reference markings printed on the rod —the black line and the green band— are not decorative: they give you a visual scale to follow the column both as you load and as you deposit. When you are working with doses of the order of 8-12 µl per queen, losing sight of where the front of the column sits means losing the dose. Keeping the reference in view lets you manoeuvre with a steady hand and repeat the same movement on every queen without recalculating each time.

⚙️ Compatibility and format

These are the tips for the SCHLEY syringe, the European-style instrument; they are not universal and not interchangeable with other insemination bodies. The rod is straight and uniform, capillary gauge, not a hand-drawn pulled pipette: that guarantees the piece you fit today behaves exactly like last week's. They come 5 per pack and are disposable, made to be replaced rather than risking an operation with a tip that is already chipped or with a damaged bevel.

Which to choose for your instrument

· SCHLEY syringe — this is your replacement: the straight glass tip for the SCHLEY syringe, ready to fit.
· Another instrument (HARBO or others) — the finish and gauge are matched to each system; don't force a SCHLEY tip into a different body, source the consumable for your own kit.
· Bee subspecies — the fine gauge of the finish is matched to the size of the queen; bear it in mind if you work with races of different morphology.

Instrumental insemination is a tool for genetic selection —fixing traits and producing mothers of future queens— and it demands technique and practice. The outcome depends on the operator, the condition of the queen and of the drones; this consumable does not on its own guarantee fertilisation, queen acceptance or any trait in the offspring. Handle with care: the glass is fragile and the bevelled end loses its properties if knocked or reused damaged.