best way to mark queen

[beesleybees]

Hi guys,

As a relative newb, I find it hard to spot the queen. Ive found that when I do try find the queen, Im taking too long and thus upsetting the hive and even then I still may not have found her!!

so Ive decided I want to mark her to make it easy for me.

can you tell me what you feel is the best way to mark her?? ive heard of tippex, markers and even stick on disks.

anyone tell me which one will last longer and is less likey to do her any harm??

also, ive just added a new queen to one of my hives, fingers crossed she is accepted and if she is, how long should I wait before attempting to mark her as im wary of rejection

 

[Hebeegeebee]

The marking pens available from the bee suppliers, the most popular on-line auction site or a local art shop are easy to use and don't seem to cause any bother to the queen or bees. I just mark and let her go, no need to hang on to her in my opinion. Shake and test on your glove or something first so you don't get a big blob coming out.
This years colour is white. Next year it's yellow.

 

[johnandyrob]

I use the plunger type of of marking cage marking pen it works for me. If you have just introduced a new queen would that not have been the ideal time to mark her?

 

[beesleybees]

I use the plunger type of of marking cage marking pen it works for me. If you have just introduced a new queen would that not have been the ideal time to mark her?

i was told that marking or clipping a new queen thats been introduced to a colony can cause rejection due to the queen being 'imperfect' in the bees eyes

 

[the naked beekeeper]

You hardly ever need to find the queen.
If you see her, great, mark her and that will make it easier for when you do need to find her. Such as when doing swarm control.

The presence of eggs will mean she has been around in the last few days.
Sometimes queens can go off lay though. When a flow stops see: http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12452 or when doing a varroa treatment. So no eggs doesn't necessarily mean no queen. A test frame will confirm/deny your suspicions; as more often than not, the bees' behavior will let you know if they are queenless.

As for marking, I use a press-in cage and some POSCO water bsed markers. They do wear off a little, in which case you can mark again after a while.

In looking for the queen be confident, hold a mental picture of her in your mind and scan edges of frames, gaps between comb and side/bottom bars and holes in the comb. Also check out places where bees cluster.

With marking your new queen, you don't say if she is mated or a virgin.
Either way, wait until she is well into her stride with laying. Virgins are notoriously skitty as are newly mateds.

Hope this helps and good luck with your bees. Enjoy it!

 

[malawi2854]

Either way, wait until she is well into her stride with laying. Virgins are notoriously skitty as are newly mateds.

I can confirm this - I was so proud of myself for marking my first queen from a caught swarm the same week she started laying - bad plan - the bees did NOT appreciate it.

She was OK in the end, but they balled her, which was rather scary!


In terms of equipment to use, I've now tried 3 methods:

1. Madly chasing the poor girl around the frame with a bottle of tip-ex
2. Catching her in a push-in round marking cage (with the scary spikes) - again, with tip-ex
3. Catching her in a plunger-style marking cage, with a "proper" marking pen

I would now only try option 3 again - having her out of the colony to mark makes it so much easier - using the push in cage was fine, it gave you both hands to work with, but I had bees all over the cage, which made seeing and marking her very difficult.

As for option one - don't even go there... I've only just got rid of the myriad marked workers that got in the way - never mind the mess I made of the queen doing it like that!

First go with the plunger, and I had a perfect white dot - couldn't have been better if I'd actually known what I was doing!

 

[sjt]

I too would now only use a plunger type cage and POSCO marker. I marked my first queen earlier this year,I tried the crown of thorns cage but was afraid of damaging the queen, The plunger tube was remarkable easy even though my hands were shaking!
Sue.

 

[Alabamaeee]

I just bought one of the plungers for marking my Queens. I have not done this before, but I am guessing it's not too easy to actually get her into the tube!

Any tips on how to do that?

 

[Beezy]

I just bought one of the plungers for marking my Queens. I have not done this before, but I am guessing it's not too easy to actually get her into the tube!

Any tips on how to do that?

Yes, I was wondering that too. I've watched a video on youtube which shows how to use the plunger quite clearly, but I'm none the wiser about how to actually get her into it...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiWxx_3gUbc[/ame]

 

[Headnavigator]

I'm none the wiser about how to actually get her into it...

That's the easy bit - just scoop her in with the open end (and the plunger out!) or put it in front her as she runs. Doesn't matter how many workers are in there with her, they can all escape through the mesh in the top when you have popped the plunger in behind them all.
You may find it easier to do it in two steps - if you have a queen clip you can catch her in that first and drop her into the tube.
You can practice either or both beforehand with workers/drones, and even practice marking with drones (best either to use a black pen for that or destroy them afterwards).

 

[Moggs]

I can't be bothered with plungers and 'crowns of thorns' these days after being shown a very simple method by a highly-experienced beekeeper. Essentially: find the queen(!), approach with index finger and thumb from behind, lift the Q by her wings (not abdomen!), transfer and reposition her to the least dominant hand (gently holding her by head and thorax between i.f. and thumb). Then marking and clipping is easy. Have an uncapped and primed marker pen and scissors ready. Be careful not to trap legs or anything else between the scissor blades. Smoke bees down when finished and gently lay Q back onto top of brood frames - she will scurry down immediately (or fly away if you're very unlucky).

Practice on drones (but don't reintroduce them)!

 

[xgeordie]

That's the easy bit - just scoop her in with the open end (and the plunger out!) or put it in front her as she runs. Doesn't matter how many workers are in there with her, they can all escape through the mesh in the top when you have popped the plunger in behind them all.
You may find it easier to do it in two steps - if you have a queen clip you can catch her in that first and drop her into the tube.
You can practice either or both beforehand with workers/drones, and even practice marking with drones (best either to use a black pen for that or destroy them afterwards).

Don't agree. It can be tricky to get her inside (especially after she becomes annoyed at the first failed attempt) and the workers don't happily escape through the top on my version. I would not recommend trying to use a clip either.

You could try a queen catcher (see other threads) or carefully place the tube over her, then slide a thin bit of plastic underneath to trap her. Invert tube and slide across the plunger bit (careful!). Bit of a faff but it works for me.

 

[sugarbush]

I don't even handle her when marking. I find her on the frame and mark her with an artist paint brush... just keep an eye on her for a minute or two afterwards, until the paint drys. If you let the workers get to her before the paint is dry they will clean it off.

 

[Beezy]

I would not recommend trying to use a clip either.

You could try a queen catcher (see other threads) or carefully place the tube over her, then slide a thin bit of plastic underneath to trap her. Invert tube and slide across the plunger bit (careful!). Bit of a faff but it works for me.

No, I don't like the idea of the clip - it looks far too tricky. I'll try what you suggest, thanks!
If it doesn't work the first couple of times and the bees are getting agitated, is it best to leave it and try again the following week?

 

[Andre cardona]

i have images on my blog but i cant up the addres her
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[xgeordie]

No, I don't like the idea of the clip - it looks far too tricky. I'll try what you suggest, thanks!
If it doesn't work the first couple of times and the bees are getting agitated, is it best to leave it and try again the following week?

Once I have located the queen, I gently lay the frame flat (ontop of the other frames incase she does a runner) and it is usually quite easy to place the tube over her.

As you say - if things do start to go pear shaped and the bees are getting angry it is best to close up and try again later.

 

[enrico]

The best tipex to use is the water based eco tipex that comes with a soft triangular pad rather than a brush. Just touch her with the corner of the pad. Not toxic, dries quickly and works a treat but only in white (Handy this year!!!)

 

[johnandyrob]

i was told that marking or clipping a new queen thats been introduced to a colony can cause rejection due to the queen being 'imperfect' in the bees eyes

Have a look at the video section admin has a clip on there Purchased honey bee queens

 

[bobster]

Why mark the queen? If you can see eggs, larvae and brood the queen is ok.

If you try and mark the queen you run the risk of maiming/killing her plus rejection by the colony.

Also if you mark her and try and find her every inspection you run the risk of chilling brood. And if you don't see her what then; did you miss her, are you going to buy another one?

Don't mark the queen!

Bobster

 

[enrico]

One of the main reasons you mark a queen is to know if she has swarmed without your knowledge or been superceded. If you suddenly have an unmarked queen then one of the above has happened!
E