Found Her Maj, but how do I catch her?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Danbee is right - we need a reasoned debate on the pros and cons, as a newbee who is thinking of clipping my queen (after reading Ted hooper) I'd like some more info - have started a new thread accordingly

 

[nonstandard]

As PH said practice on your drones.

two things to add to the other comments

If using the manual method catch the Q by the wings with your primary hand pass to the other letting her stand on your forefinger and trap two legs with your thumb. Two legs because otherwise she may spin round and remove a leg in the process. Then mark/clip using your primary hand.

Check your equipment, last time I used one of the tube/plunger affairs the self adhesive pad became detached from the plunger and stuck itself to the sides of the tube trapping the queen in the tube. I freed her eventually by using the handle of the plunger to carefully push the pad down.

 

[666bees]

Read somewhere that you clip them through a crown of thorns if lucky. It would make it easier. But may be wrong.

 

[fatshark]

Some suppliers also sell a plastic or glass bulb and tube thingy - looks a bit like a crack pipe (I'm told) - that you place over the queen. She runs up the pipe either into a cage/plunger, or onto the back of your forefinger to be held and marked. Much better than those queen clips ...

 

[alynewbee]

Some suppliers also sell a plastic or glass bulb and tube thingy - looks a bit like a crack pipe (I'm told) - that you place over the queen. She runs up the pipe either into a cage/plunger, or onto the back of your forefinger to be held and marked. Much better than those queen clips ...

Any ideas what plastic / glass, bulb tube thingy called? (And where to get one) Sounds like just what I could be needing.

 

[xgeordie]

Any ideas what plastic / glass, bulb tube thingy called? (And where to get one) Sounds like just what I could be needing.

Its called a queen catcher and available from TH*****. Thing is, my queen refused to run up the bloody tube! so I just used the marking cage as described in a previous post.

I've not tried it as a "crack pipe" yet.

 

[alynewbee]

I've not tried it as a "crack pipe" yet.

Oh well, if HRH won't use it perhaps you can ;-)

Aly

 

[alynewbee]

Woo hoo! Thanks to everyone who suggested the 'crack pipe' queen catcher. I got one, tried and and it worked a treat. I marked her and popped her back. Thanks all.