Krispn Given is an internationally recognized authority in the field of instrumental insemination and honey bee breeding. He has been breeding bees for 30 years, conducting research with 100-300 colonies to improve honey bee health through selective breeding paradigms. He directs the honey bee breeding program at Purdue University and manages the honey bee laboratory’s extension and student research activities.
As an educator, he teaches two advanced courses at the university each year, one in queen rearing and the other in instrumental insemination, attracting students worldwide. His current research centers on the genetic selection of honey bee populations exhibiting elevated behavioral resistance to Varroa destructor, a primary contributor to colony decline worldwide. He was instrumental in the pioneering work developing the “Indiana Mite-biter” strain, which demonstrated that enhanced grooming behaviors not only remove the mites but inflicts physical damage, thereby increasing mite mortality.
He has been involved in several research projects over the past twenty-one years and is an author and co-author of numerous publications, books, and scientific and trade journal articles. His work has led to the design of innovative instrumental insemination devices made in America. He has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions, including the prestigious Rodger A. Morse Outstanding Teaching Extension Regulatory Award in 2023. He is a past president of the Heartland Honey Bee Breeders Cooperative.
We offer:
- Custom Instrumental Insemination services
- Consulting on Honey Bee Breeding & Instrumental Insemination
- Instrumental Insemination Master Classes
