Marking the Queen

Beedogg · Jul 31, 2021

I managed to mark the queen in two of my hives; not very expertly but good enough to have helped me find them since. In both cases I managed by chance to catch her in a crown of thorns by herself and was then able to dab her.

Today I eventually found the new queen in my third hive, quite small and definitely in need of marking. I caught her in the crown of thorns but it was a crowded frame and I found that I'd caught a couple of workers also. I lifted the CoT hoping to separate them and the queen promptly flew off! I'm pretty sure that she dropped down back into the hive.

So, in practical terms, how to people mark the queen using the CoT? Do you only trap her when you're sure that she's isolated? Or do you sometimes trap workers with her and just mark her anyway? What should I have done?

jenkinsbrynmair · Jul 31, 2021

Beedogg said:
I managed to mark the queen in two of my hives; not very expertly but good enough to have helped me find them since. In both cases I managed by chance to catch her in a crown of thorns by herself and was then able to dab her.

Today I eventually found the new queen in my third hive, quite small and definitely in need of marking. I caught her in the crown of thorns but it was a crowded frame and I found that I'd caught a couple of workers also. I lifted the CoT hoping to separate them and the queen promptly flew off! I'm pretty sure that she dropped down back into the hive.

So, in practical terms, how to people mark the queen using the CoT? Do you only trap her when you're sure that she's isolated? Or do you sometimes trap workers with her and just mark her anyway? What should I have done?

if you just rest the COT against the comb (not immediately push it right in) the worker bees wil escape in the gaps between the pins (it's designed for that purpose) But if they're trapped with her - no harm done, just mark her.

Hebeegeebee · Aug 1, 2021

Most queens that fly off do come back - however they are much more flighty when young so it's best to leave marking them for a few weeks by which time they have settled down a little.

Curly green finger's · Aug 1, 2021

Hebeegeebee said:
Most queens that fly off do come back - however they are much more flighty when young so it's best to leave marking them for a few weeks by which time they have settled down a little.

I completely agree, I leave marking untill she is well mated and laying.

madasafish · Aug 1, 2021

A gentle spray with water on the bees and the queen before you try marking reduces the chances of the Q flying away. This is a particular problem with mating nucs where I usually have to pick the Q up by hand and place her in a one handed marking device.. (My left hand with self inflicted damages is useless for holding queens).