colour marking Queens

[fiftyjon]

 

[itma]

...
I do also keep a good record of what is going on (an A4 for each hive with general information about it and a detailed note on every inspection/feed/etc), ...
The other things I've read about were putting swappable numbers on the hives ...

It is common to keep colony notes in a plastic wallet pinned to the underside of the hive roof.

A really simple colony identification system is to identify the roof!
The roof can easily stay with the Q when brood boxes are swapped around during spring cleaning.
And providing bee-visible colour pattern ID on the roof can only help avoid bees 'drifting', while again being easy to keep with the same colony while overhauling the hives.

 

[enrico]

I use Eco water based tipex that comes with a lovely soft pad on the end of the marker. Then I write the new queen date on the side of the bb with marker pen. That way I always have the right date to hand!
E

 

[Tdod]

Thanks everyone for a good thread with a lot of usefull tips on how you all do things, It looks like I need to get well organised to simplify my beekeeping experience

 

[REDWOOD]

I try to keep to the colours if possible except white, a nightmare trying to find a white marked queen when the bees are foraging on Himalayan Balsam

 

[MuswellMetro]

I try to follow the system bu tif i catch an unknown source swarm queen, i use pink , it was luminous white but i put the red brush in it ;-(

 

[Goran]

It is common to keep colony notes in a plastic wallet pinned to the underside of the hive roof.

A really simple colony identification system is to identify the roof!
The roof can easily stay with the Q when brood boxes are swapped around during spring cleaning.
And providing bee-visible colour pattern ID on the roof can only help avoid bees 'drifting', while again being easy to keep with the same colony while overhauling the hives.

Maybe this on the roof ( queen designation).

When I started beekeeping first I was scared even to think by myself "press" and mark her, but when it turned to a horror of finding one it passed me quickly. Started to mark the queens ( using marking cylinder and POSCA pen) to easier find them. Then continue to mark them not to find them, more it was to know what is going in the colony. Now is marking beside to know situation in a hive and have lineage of that colony. Keeping records for each queen ( their quality, susceptibility to diseases, etc..) and after some time if through their family trees ( at least feminine side) is visible that is similar thing present through generations gives me at least some rough idea what to do with certain line or to be specially cautious .
I am aware this "cunning" plan has many flaws ( I am in beekeeping itself with little beekeeping seasons), but I am curious after several years what I will find..

 

[Davelin]

I have used the POSCA coloured pens for the last 3 years. I am interested to see if they still work when I get back to the start!, but as had been said they are not that expensive.

Another thing I do is stick a coloured drawing pin on the side of the hive indicating the queen colour

 

[Heather]

Drawing pin, simple and good idea.
By the way, beginners, don't leave the pen out in hot sun.. then use... the ink can flood out if ANY pressure applied. I always dab the pen on the hive side to see if producing colour before marking.. have a very distinctive green streaky brood box. Phew, could have been the queen bumped off.

And don't get too bogged down with different methods,, think what YOU want and keep it simple. So much to learn but easily confusing trying various ways.

 

[Cazza]

I have used the POSCA coloured pens for the last 3 years. I am interested to see if they still work when I get back to the start!, but as had been said they are not that expensive.

Another thing I do is stick a coloured drawing pin on the side of the hive indicating the queen colour

They should still work. Mine do.
Cazza

 

[Headnavigator]

Drawing pin, simple and good idea.
By the way, beginners, don't leave the pen out in hot sun.. then use... the ink can flood out if ANY pressure applied. I always dab the pen on the hive side to see if producing colour before marking.. have a very distinctive green streaky brood box. Phew, could have been the queen bumped off.

Pens are often blobby however careful one is. Safest to use pen to transfer a little paint to the end of a matchstick then touch the matchstick to the queen to mark. Easiest I find with a 'tube and sponge' type capture. If you hold the open end of the tube over the queen she will always crawl up into it, any accompanying workers go through the mesh at the top then you can gently and safely hold the queen against the mesh while you mark and dry her.

 

[ichbinpaul]

The red and green are a bit limiting for those of us that are colourblind … I use blue or white, or something metallic and shiny for a queen in an observation hive.

So you could use transparent then!? if its shiny

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Or a well polished drawing pin

 

[ichbinpaul]

Or a well polished drawing pin

That made me wee