One handed queen catcher

[Erichalfbee]

Not everyone needs to specifically look for something to see it.

Of course not. The first time I ever spotted a bee run up to another, grab it by the head and shake it I was fascinated. Then I saw others do it. So I went looking for the reason and found it in Seeley.

 

[user 20297]

Love it. Much funnier than Beebe.

I wasn't trying to be funny.

 

[Swarm]

I've often wondered about pheromone with marking cages, it seemed a reasonable thing to consider, especially when marking a lot of queens in succession. Lots of things to consider, don't get paint on her eyes or antennae but you can bet that will happen to the next queen when she brushes past a thread with ink on it.
Very rarely do I put a COT over the queen and workers dutifully move out, it's more often the case that they go nowhere and are joined by more bees on top that need clearing in order to even see the queen. Perhaps it is a reaction to pheromone transfer. We once marked twenty queens with numbered discs and used the 'safe' plungers, the bees piled into the plunger and began balling one queen as I released her. My friend uses the one handed type but I think there is a critical point when you trap the queen where you can't see her well enough.

 

[user 20297]

I've often wondered about pheromone with marking cages, it seemed a reasonable thing to consider, especially when marking a lot of queens in succession. Lots of things to consider, don't get paint on her eyes or antennae but you can bet that will happen to the next queen when she brushes past a thread with ink on it.
Very rarely do I put a COT over the queen and workers dutifully move out, it's more often the case that they go nowhere and are joined by more bees on top that need clearing in order to even see the queen. Perhaps it is a reaction to pheromone transfer. We once marked twenty queens with numbered discs and used the 'safe' plungers, the bees piled into the plunger and began balling the queen as I released her. My friend uses the one handed type but I think there is a critical point when you trap the queen where you can't see her well enough.

Very interesting comments from an experienced beekeeper. Your final point regarding the practicality of the "one-handed" (I always need two) is so true.

 

[markyfive]

Not a great lover of them. really easy to injure the queen and the queens seem to be able to escape fairly easily. I use them to catch queen wasps on the cotoneaster!!

I've carelessly garrotted a queen using a one handed queen catcher.........I do however, with this experience in mind still use one VERY carefully as I find it brilliant for clipping queens. I really don't trust myself handling them yet, with my clumsy fingers and find with care you can manipulate a wing through the top slot and hold her nicely still with no fear of a rear leg getting snipped! Horses for courses.

Realistically, I do need to practice more handling using drones to perfect a feel, as ultimately I would prefer to not use this equipment.

 

[Kaz]

Awful gadgets those queen catchers.
I use a Baldock cage (crown of thorns) and have used the same one for years (after the original fell off a hive roof and hid itself between two rocks at the castle apiary) always been kept in the same airtight tin in my pocket, I've never washed or 'de-odourised' it and never witnessed this phenomenon.

I lost my Baldock cage once and rediscovered it several months later when my OH said "what's that on the bottom of your welly?"

 

[enrico]

I lost my Baldock cage once and rediscovered it several months later when my OH said "what's that on the bottom of your welly?"

Yep, walked down the drive trying to get rid of the stone in the tread of my wellies by scuffing it along the surface, didn't do the crown of thorns much good at all

 

[Erichalfbee]

It boils down to use what works for you. If something doesn’t then try something else.
Meanwhile, something to aspire to as demonstrated by a VERY experienced beekeeper

 

[Ron Birrell]

Had an issue with a one handed queen catcher a few years back. Found and marked a Queen then not long after used the catcher to mark another Queen.
On releasing the second Queen she was immediately balled and killed. I went back to using a crown of thorns after that.

 

[drex]

I use a COT, but my confidence was boosted by Mike Palmers video " queen bees have handles" ( or something like that), and now happily pick them up.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I use a COT, but my confidence was boosted by Mike Palmers video " queen bees have handles" ( or something like that), and now happily pick them up.

Bravo. I’m sure that’s the best way.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I use a COT, but my confidence was boosted by Mike Palmers video " queen bees have handles" ( or something like that), and now happily pick them up.

It really is all about confidence, I used several methods before I plucked up the courage to do it by hand. Once you have the confidence, like anything, it becomes "easy"
I always tell people to practise on drones but DON'T use the same colour as your queens!!!!

For Drex

 

[polymath]

Hi all,

I am new to beekeeping and have taken this year as a learning year (thankfully) with great education and practical support from a neighbour and local association.

I had a question that they were unable to answer confidentiality so I thought I would also ask it here.

We were working with a hive and caught the queen in a one handed queen catcher and everything was fine, did what we needed to do and released her back. Moving onto the second hive and again we caught the queen to mark her. However this time the worker bees behaved very differently to the queen being in the catcher.

My question was - is this behaviour because there is queen pheromone present from the first hive and the worker bees of hive two are reacting to this. Should we use more than one catcher?

Does anyone have an idea if this is coincidence or it is know pheromone in the catcher can upset the next hive?

I use them all the time, is their a risk yes, you have to be careful when closing to ensure queen is not caught. However they work very well as if you get the queen lined up parrallel then her wing will also often pop up and it is easy to clip.

The key i learnt from another beekkeeper is how you put a queen back. Do not put her back onto the top of the frames, that is where guard bees are more likely to be. Lift a frame up, find larvae/eggs and put her back there where the nursery bees are. Since doing this not had a queen balled and is much easier to run her back.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

That seems plausible to me ,but like you I'm a newbie too ,wonder if a spray of pledge before using again would help in disguising the previous queen .without need for numerous queen catchers,
John

Pledge?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I use a COT, but my confidence was boosted by Mike Palmers video " queen bees have handles" ( or something like that), and now happily pick them up.

I use a COT with perfect success. I don't see a point in fixing what isn't busted

 

[Superlativesoul]

Pledge?

Disguises the queen's pheromone. Use it or any beeswax furniture polish when collecting swarms and spray afterwards to discourage other bees
John

 

[Amari]

I use a COT, but my confidence was boosted by Mike Palmers video " queen bees have handles" ( or something like that), and now happily pick them up.

Is that without gloves? I'm fat-fingered and prone to panic if stung, thus I'm scared to pickup by the wings. I once tried the one-handed gadget to mark a Q, demonstrating to some newbies. Conclusion: a humane way to euthanise a Q. COT for me.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Disguises the queen's pheromone. Use it or any beeswax furniture polish when collecting swarms and spray afterwards to discourage other bees
John

My query was because pledge is a polish albeit scented, not an air freshener per se.

 

[madasafish]

I use a COT all the time. Marked 4 Qs in a row last week within 30 mins: no sign of problems.
Don't like single handed catchers.

Tend not to use any smoke and never had issues returning Qs on top bars.

But then I handle maximum 30 Qs a year so limited experience.

 

[JamezF]

Not only do I remember watching that sketch when it was first broadcast, I remember the advert it parodied too. I'm not sure that's a good thing

James