Painted wings

[beebopper]

OK please don't laugh (too much).

Was showing some on my young students how a queen is marked. To be honest I was using a crown of thorns to immobilise her and then putting dot on. Still not completely happy handling queen unless I have to.

Well as I was doing this one of the darlings (students) let out a scream thinking they had been stung. It must have been psychological as there was no bee anywhere near the site they identified and there was not skin reaction.

Anyway this made me jump and got paint on her wing. My question is are they most likely to kill her now or will it be ignored?

 

[B+.]

Anyway this made me jump and got paint on her wing. My question is are they most likely to kill her now or will it be ignored?

Was she already mated?
The bees will try to clean the paint off as much as possible. If it dries, she will find it very difficult to fly.
Its really the pheromones that control the workers so, unless she loses a leg (or some physical problem) they'll probably be glad to see her back laying again.

 

[beebopper]

It was a laying queen from last year - should have been marked before but you know how it it sometimes.
Thanks for reply.
(PS: best of luck to your lad with his exam! )

Was she already mated?
The bees will try to clean the paint off as much as possible. If it dries, she will find it very difficult to fly.
Its really the pheromones that control the workers so, unless she loses a leg (or some physical problem) they'll probably be glad to see her back laying again.

 

[colinc]

I had a queen squirm under a COT and end up with paint all down her back and on her wings looked like a bomb in a paint factory. Week later she looked like a competent person had marked her

Someone else had the same on here a few weeks back too.


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[Brigsy]

Yes, me. I drowned a queen using a pen and COT the other week. They cleaned her up and she is still going strong. Today, I splodged the paint from the pen onto some cardboard and then handpainted a new queen with a stem of grass. Much neater.

 

[colinc]

Yes, me. I drowned a queen using a pen and COT the other week. They cleaned her up and she is still going strong. Today, I splodged the paint from the pen onto some cardboard and then handpainted a new queen with a stem of grass. Much neater.

I will remember that one. Couldn't remember who drowned their queen I know I was worried about mine


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[beebopper]

Thanks for replies you have made me feel better.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

Sorry to rain on your parade but I did the same as you - put paint on HM's abdomen instead of thorax. Within days the colony had started supersedure proceedings and she disappeared. Her replacement, made by the colony, was pretty good.

Another of my queens "fainted" when I marked her - I thought I'd killed her but she was there and laying when I checked two days later.

Best of luck with your queen.

CVB