Marking a virgin queen.

[Hawklord]

I went through my colonies yesterday with the hope of finding my new queens laying. 1 that I found hadn't started laying but I decided to mark her as she was there in front of me. After releasing her some of the workers harrassed her so I used a little smoke in the hope that would disguise the smell of the paint. After a couple of attempts she flew off so I closed up and left everything as it was before I arrived. I don't know how the workers will react on her return but I'll leave them alone for another week.

 

[oliver90owner]

Not a procedure I would advise, marking virgins.

 

[hiveabee]

Not a procedure I would advise, marking virgins.

Should only mark after you know they have been mated.

 

[For want of a better word]

Should only mark after you know they have been mated.

... and have been laying for some time
Some say in late August ( Autumn in the Northern hemisphere)


Marking a virgin may cause her to get balled... of if not and she does make it out into the wild free sky... an easier target for Joe Crow!

 

[protheroe]

i had 2 queens that had been laying for 3 weeks.i marked ,then and they got balled ,i caged them and one was killed after being released 3 days later.Do not mark young queens,its not worth the risk.Wait until they have been laying a few months

 

[susbees]

i had 2 queens that had been laying for 3 weeks.i marked ,then and they got balled ,i caged them and one was killed after being released 3 days later.Do not mark young queens,its not worth the risk.Wait until they have been laying a few months

What paint/marker/tippex are you marking with? And are you using a plunger cage/crown of thorns/bare hands?

 

[protheroe]

What paint/marker/tippex are you marking with? And are you using a plunger cage/crown of thorns/bare hands?

this year i am using those paint pens and a crown of thorns.Last year i used a plunger but had a couple of young queens balled after being off the frame for a short period of time.I have now learned from my mistakes and wont be marking next year until the queens are much older

 

[Hawklord]

Crown of thornes and a uni posca pen! Next time I'll wait 'til Spring.

 

[HollyBee]

Ahh now worried about my young queen, marked her last week as was the first time we had seen her. She has been mated and laying for a month.

Hopefully she will be ok, didn't realise that they could react badly to the marking. We didn't take her off the frame just marked her in position, the workers didn't seem to care so hope we are lucky.

Didn't want to mark her before she started laying, thought a big yellow spot on her back wouldn't be wise when she goes on her mating flight.

 

[REDWOOD]

I went through my colonies yesterday with the hope of finding my new queens laying. 1 that I found hadn't started laying but I decided to mark her as she was there in front of me. After releasing her some of the workers harrassed her so I used a little smoke in the hope that would disguise the smell of the paint. After a couple of attempts she flew off so I closed up and left everything as it was before I arrived. I don't know how the workers will react on her return but I'll leave them alone for another week.

So did the queen fly away ?

 

[Silly Bee]

She flew off while you were there, you walked off and closed up the hive and left.

She might have used you for a navigation beacon, you left, and she could lose her way home.

 

[Hawklord]

The queen was back in the hive yesterday, still hasn't laid anything though.