marking queens

[madasafish]

Dayglo orange for me..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Although I mark my queens - I do find sometimes that looking for the spot of colour' can be counter productive (you are looking for a blob of paint, not a queen shaped/size bee) found that in two hives last year - searched fruitlessly over two or three inspections for the red marked queen (allowing for my eyes playing up at the moment) the next time, just did my usual thing and looked for an unmarked queen and found her straight away with just a fleck remaining of the original paint.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I mark every queen I raise...not so I can find them but so I know what year they were mated.

I find it much easier to look for the dragon scales on the queen's sides to show her off, so when looking for a queen I hold the comb at an angle.

Of course, there's no finding the queen if she has her cloaking device turned on. And you thought it was the Klingons who invented the cloaking device, didn't you. Nope, it was queen bees.

Don't believe me? Haven't you ever seen a queen disappear right before your very eyes.

 

[Jed D]

We've never really marked Queens.
I had a go a few years ago 'but as I marked her , she wriggled away !!!

Hence we called her the Red Streak. After that , I've settled for seeing eggs.
Always nice to see her ' but we don't go hunting her..

This year we're gonna try the Demaree system on some colonies..
So I'm planning to mark all our Queens as soon as we catch up with them..

We've now got a selection of Tools to catch and hold her , Gently.....
Press in cage , looks like the easy option..

 

[BeeJayBee]

- I do find sometimes that looking for the spot of colour' can be counter productive (you are looking for a blob of paint, not a queen shaped/size bee) ....

Which can be why those with marked queens rarely spot two queens in a colony.

I find it much easier to look for the dragon scales on the queen's sides to show her off, so when looking for a queen I hold the comb at an angle.

That's a good tip, it does work.

 

[Firefly]

Michael/BJ - I do not know what you mean by "scales". What am I looking for...

 

[Michael Palmer]

Well, look at the photo. Don't you see the scales on her side? See how they shine and are a brighter color than the dorsal side of her abdomen?

I know that "scales" is the wrong term...actually they're called tergits (sp.?)

But, you see what I mean?

 

[Firefly]

Well, look at the photo. Don't you see the scales on her side? See how they shine and are a brighter color than the dorsal side of her abdomen?

I know that "scales" is the wrong term...actually they're called tergits (sp.?)

But, you see what I mean?

Thanks Michael - I'm learning!
According to Google: Tergite: the _dorsal_ sclerite of an abdominal segment of an insect

So do you mean that the divisions between the abdominal segments are much more visible, especially at the side, than they are in workers, as well as being a different colour (and shiny!)?

I have not tried looking for a queen with the comb on an angle - thanks for the tip

I have been quite surprised in my short beekeeping life how much the colour of queens varies. Sometimes they seem so orange and fat that they are impossible to miss (unless one is doing an AS!); sometimes I have had a queen pointed out to me and had to look three or four times before believing it, because the colour is so close to a worker and the size difference not so stark. I think it varies with strain but maybe also with season

 

[Michael Palmer]

So do you mean that the divisions between the abdominal segments are much more visible, especially at the side, than they are in workers, as well as being a different colour (and shiny!)?

Yes, but not necessarily more visible than the workers. Just more visible from the side than from the top.

 

[domino]

I'm clipping queens for the first time this year, what's the best tool for the job - I was just going to use some sharp nail scissors.

 

[itma]

I'm clipping queens for the first time this year, what's the best tool for the job - I was just going to use some sharp nail scissors.

The advice I have been given is that the best scissors are those made specifically for (fishing) fly-tieing.
Seemingly both rare and expensive!

//// But isn't this straying away from "marking" ... ?

 

[Hivemaker.]

I'm clipping queens for the first time this year, what's the best tool for the job - I was just going to use some sharp nail scissors.

This is what i use, nail scissors, good quality stainless steel, i like the ones with curved blades.

Or various bee supply places sell small snips for the purpose...like these.
http://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/queen-clipping-snips/

 

[masterBK]

I use spring scissors as used by fly fishermen. They can be used either left or right handed (I am left handed) since no fingerholes.

http://www.sportfish.co.uk/scissors-spring.html?gclid=CLP0zpyuw8MCFXQatAodLgEAdA

 

[midnight sun]

Dissecting scissors for me, from that well known microscope company used by many on here.

 

[Nige.Coll]

This is something I need to master.
Last year i left them to it and didn't mark any queens.
This year marking and clipping is looking like a must.
I haven't the kit and don't want double the numbers.
At this time I am a little confused as to the best option but it's months away thankfully.
An old beek told me to use white only as it is easily visible.
I have no clipping sheers and unfortunately for her very clumsy.
It's nothing interweb won't fix but the act of doing it fills me with dread.

Last year I raised all my own queens with different degrees of success, thankfully there was a few nucs with good queens to replace the bad ones.
ATM queen rearing seems a bit of a dark art that needs far more research than i currently have time for.

I picked what i thought was a good hive , placid and layed like a train but it wasn't a constant result, drones i guess.
Most turned out ok but a couple were nutters.
The only thing my first year taught me about queens was always have a spare.

How can you guarantee the quality of a queen when you have no control over the drones ?
This is above my pay grade atm.

so much to learn and so little time haha..

Why do buckies go nuts when they mate with some drones ?
I have some buckfast derived queens and some mongrels from dark bees the buckies seem to be more aggressive when mated with random drones.
They weren't pure buckies when i got them i must add.
The dark bees are far more placid.

sry for rambling i'm drunk again.
This is the start of my second season with bees please be sympathetic lol.

 

[rolande]

I'm clipping queens for the first time this year, what's the best tool for the job - I was just going to use some sharp nail scissors.

Whatever you find comfortable so long as it gives a clean cut. I use fly-tie scissors, the cheaper ones can be picked up off the net for six or seven pounds inc postage and do a fine job. The primary concern for me is that they have large eye rings so that they actually fit my hands, just don't feel comfortable with a finger tip grip. Like HM, really don't bother painting our queens in the normal course of things, clipping is enough for our own needs.

 

[B+.]

I use spring scissors as used by fly fishermen. They can be used either left or right handed (I am left handed) since no fingerholes.[/url]

I use scissors similar to those shown above except they have a plastic spring. My wife had some in her decoupage kit (for making christmas cards etc) and I thought...just what I need (so I bought some)! They are much better than the surgical/dissection scissors I had used.

 

[Jonathan F]

I'm clipping queens for the first time this year, what's the best tool for the job - I was just going to use some sharp nail scissors.

look on eBay for - fly tying straight spring scissors

but, as always, some are better made than others.

Spring scissors are very easy to use - No loops on the handles, so no bother with fingers and gloves. Just as good for left and right hand, as already said. Straight ones are more convenient for clipping wings than the curved ones. I also have a curved pair which I keep with my microscopy kit.

 

[Jonathan F]

Has anybody got advice on Humbrol colours? When dabbed onto a bee the colours often look much duller that expected. There are several blues in the catalogue. Does anyone have an idea which blue will show up best on a bee?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Royal Blue?