marking a virgin Queen?

[prana vallabha]

hi .....

is it ok to mark a newly hatched virgin Queen or is it better to mark once mated and laying , as i dont want to upset anything in the nuc ......

 

[alanf]

hi .....

is it ok to mark a newly hatched virgin Queen or is it better to mark once mated and laying , as i dont want to upset anything in the nuc ......

You can probably think of reasons not to mark virgins yourself. Could be waste of time if she's not mated, chance of her flying off, extra visibility to predators on mating flight, marking paint straying onto wings or other damage inhibiting flight...

Most advice is to check the cell to see she's emerged when expected then don't check for eggs until two weeks have passed, preferably three. If you have to check or top up food in nuc do it early or late, avoid when she might be on a mating flight.

 

[Erichalfbee]

When I was a real new bee I spotted a virgin queen after an AS and thought it would be a waste not to mark her. She was OK. My mentor told me off and said it made her an easier target for swallows.......yeah right!!!!
I think the greatest danger is that you might damage her....speck of marking paint on a wing etc etc.
I understand a lot of bee suppliers do mark virgins

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I asked the national inspector this a day ago and he said that they are more likely to be rejected by the colony if marked before they go into lay

 

[BeeNice]

hi .....

is it ok to mark a newly hatched virgin Queen or is it better to mark once mated and laying , as i dont want to upset anything in the nuc ......

Leave well alone until she is laying good eggs and producing brood. She may not get mated well anyway and you would be wasting your time, the bees may reject her if newly painted having a foreign smell on her. Newly hatched queens should be left well alone, don't open up for at least a couple of weeks as said.