One handed Queen catcher

[Machonachos]

Was doing some Queen marking today and thought I’d share my experience.

Only two hives to do and only two techniques to try but boy what a difference. First one was a crown of thorns. Stressed over stabbing her, stressed over pressing down too hard, stressed over other bees getting involved making things tricky.

Second hive I used the one handed Queen catcher. Offered the entrance to her and she skipped straight in, closed up and marked in seconds with no stress and interference from other bees. 10/10 would recommend.

What are your experiences of the one handed Queen catcher?


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[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think you were just lucky with the queen 'just walking in' I've never had an issue with crown of thorns, You would really have to be a ham fisted galoot to press down too hard, you just gently place the COT over the queen, wait for things to settle, gently press down until she's pinned down tightly enough to mark, quick dab of the pen, lossen COT, leave the queen move around a bit and the paint dry then remove COT without the queen once leaving the comb or the colony.
No stress to beekeeper or colony

 

[rook66]

I think you were just lucky with the queen 'just walking in' I've never had an issue with crown of thorns, You would really have to be a ham fisted galoot to press down too hard, you just gently place the COT over the queen, wait for things to settle, gently press down until she's pinned down tightly enough to mark, quick dab of the pen, lossen COT, leave the queen move around a bit and the paint dry then remove COT without the queen once leaving the comb or the colony.
No stress to beekeeper or colony

That has been my experience as well, I have had queens balled when released from the one handed catcher, could be residual pheremone from previous use.

 

[Hachi]

shop round if you buying prices range from £20 to £5 for the same item

 

[ShinySideUp]

I haven't had occasion to catch a queen yet but that time is approaching and I have a one-handed jobby but having seen a crown of thorns in use by another beekeeper it seems so much simpler and safer. I splashed out on one made from wood rather than the plastic ones that seem to abound, rather more expensive but the mesh in the top is so much finer.

 

[Hivemaker.]

The most efficient and easiest queen catcher to use is your fingers.

Like this....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2tSkW9YuHY

 

[Machonachos]

That has been my experience as well, I have had queens balled when released from the one handed catcher, could be residual pheremone from previous use.

Woah. That is worth knowing. Eep.


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[madasafish]

Plastic COTs are in my experience a waste of money - mesh too big to get pen tip through, spurs that press into comb too blunt - and sometimes circle of plastic is too high up to immobilise Q.
I find Thorne's metal and wood COT to be the best.

I can no longer catch or hold queens left handed without a full index finger.. but my right hand works very well. If you ever want to raise your own queens, or kill old ones, hand catching is best learned now. practise on drones and the workers.. After workers, a queen is easy..


Edit - and bare handed works best...

 

[Michael Palmer]

The most efficient and easiest queen catcher to use is your fingers.

Like this....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2tSkW9YuHY

Yeah, I've always found my right hand works pretty well. Then again, I'm not left handed. If I were, I'd have to get one of them left handed deals.

 

[Poly Hive]

Oddly I catch with my left hand but then with the queen in my left my right is free to mark and clip and that is great as I am right handed....

COT can bisect queens if the pins suddenly go through the mid rib, seen it happen, and the one handed thing has a spring.. think mousetrap here and again queen bisected.

They are gizmos sold to make money and not necessarily with the wellfare of the queen at the front of the process. Kerching!

PH

 

[Swarm]

I think you were just lucky with the queen 'just walking in' I've never had an issue with crown of thorns, You would really have to be a ham fisted galoot to press down too hard, you just gently place the COT over the queen, wait for things to settle, gently press down until she's pinned down tightly enough to mark, quick dab of the pen, lossen COT, leave the queen move around a bit and the paint dry then remove COT without the queen once leaving the comb or the colony.
No stress to beekeeper or colony

Maybe an issue for a Silverback but never found a problem myself. The plastic ones are a joke though and I'm surprised they are still offered for sale.

 

[Eyeman]

If I'm just marking the queen for selling on then COT does the job. If I'm marking and clipping then pick her up - works best without nitrile gloves.

 

[Eyeman]

Yeah, I've always found my right hand works pretty well. Then again, I'm not left handed. If I were, I'd have to get one of them left handed deals.

That has been my experience as well, I have had queens balled when released from the one handed catcher, could be residual pheremone from previous use.

Michael, has this been a problem with your queen marking/clipping setup?

 

[Michael Palmer]

Michael, has this been a problem with your queen marking/clipping setup?

Never seen it happen. Must be it does occasionally.

 

[enrico]

Yeah, I've always found my right hand works pretty well. Then again, I'm not left handed. If I were, I'd have to get one of them left handed deals.

Plastic COTs are in my experience a waste of money - mesh too big to get pen tip through, spurs that press into comb too blunt - and sometimes circle of plastic is too high up to immobilise Q.
I find Thorne's metal and wood COT to be the best.

I can no longer catch or hold queens left handed without a full index finger.. but my right hand works very well. If you ever want to raise your own queens, or kill old ones, hand catching is best learned now. practise on drones and the workers.. After workers, a queen is easy..


Edit - and bare handed works best...

They used to make crowning thorns with cotton mesh top. Brilliant, can't find one anywhere now.!
E

 

[Swarm]

They used to make crowning thorns with cotton mesh top. Brilliant, can't find one anywhere now.!
E

That's what I have.

 

[madasafish]

They used to make crowning thorns with cotton mesh top. Brilliant, can't find one anywhere now.!
E

Thornes' one has very thin wire on top.. works a treat.

 

[Anduril]

Thornes' one has very thin wire on top.. works a treat.

Best one I've used.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They used to make crowning thorns with cotton mesh top. Brilliant, can't find one anywhere now.!
E

Try Thornes - they sell them, also someone on fleabay is selling a few off at the moment - but they have thin nylon fishing line not cotton - it looks like it could work as well - either that or replace with cotton.

 

[Beefriendly]

Try Thornes - they sell them, also someone on fleabay is selling a few off at the moment - but they have thin nylon fishing line not cotton - it looks like it could work as well - either that or replace with cotton.

I'm often re-threading them as sometimes I find the wing is ideally positioned for clipping..alas the scissor action takes its toll.
I should add my practice is mark first and clip later (hand held)...usually