Be Warned You Require Gloves

[FROGDOGDIVER]

I use one colour pen to do all my queens. Whats the point in wasting it all on another colour next year. They are in my apiary and I keep a note of the age of the queen on my record cards. I use the pens that Thornes sell. I found blue good for me as it stands out and i like the colour. My friend uses green but it wears off really quick compared to the blue.

 

[steve1958]

I have purchased a white marker pen, and plan on using it until it runs out of ink
or until I fend a more visible colour.

How many Bees will a Thornes marker pen mark?

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Why pain the queen. If you used pastic frames and polystyrene hives then mark the queen with a small metal disk.

All you then need to do is scan the combs and hive using a sensitive metal detector to find her!

 

[oliver90owner]

OXFORDBEE,

Good idea.......

Slightly less 'high tech' would be plastic frames - simple result from each frame scanned.

The system would fall down if she hides somewhere in the hive but what the heck, if we can see eggs she was there less than 4 days ago!

Oh, and if she has a shiny metal disc on her thorax we could confirm her presence on the frame by actually seeing her!

Good system for the really 'techno's', and the blind beekeepers, but I, for one, could cope without....

Perhaps just spray her with that 'smart water' stuff. Then if she gets lost or stolen.......

Regards, RAB

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Why pain the queen. If you used pastic frames and polystyrene hives then mark the queen with a small metal disk.

All you then need to do is scan the combs and hive using a sensitive metal detector to find her!

Another option might be to use a combined visible spectrum colour pen + UV spectrum colour.

Like in the CSI type programs, with the use of "black light" and appropriate glasses, the marked queen will literally glow under the UV light even if hiding and a corner of the hive.