Painted wings

[Rhyolite]

In my efforts to mark the queen, my marker blobbed paint all over her wings.

Is this an issue?

 

[pargyle]

Well ... she won't be swarming in a hurry ! She will either get on with her job or they will decide they don't like her new livery and will supercede. I would not recommend painting wings as and anti swarming measure though ...

 

[Swarm]

In my efforts to mark the queen, my marker blobbed paint all over her wings.

Is this an issue?

Did the ink flood? I always use the pen on something like the roof to make sure the ink is flowing nicely before marking. I've never had a flooding accident but I did make a mess of marking a queen who kept managing to squirm about so she now has white paint on her wings.
Some people have found their queens safe and well, fingers crossed for you.

 

[Beedogg]

I did exactly the same a week ago. She was a new queen and managed to get paint on her wings. I was very concerned in case I'd made it difficult for her to fly and mate. But actually all seems to be well because when I looked yesterday she had started laying so either she flew OK and mated or she was already mated when I decorated her - probably the latter.

In retrospect I should have waited until I was sure that she was mated before marking her - and of course taken more care.

 

[Rhyolite]

Did the ink flood? I always use the pen on something like the roof to make sure the ink is flowing nicely before marking. I've never had a flooding accident but I did make a mess of marking a queen who kept managing to squirm about so she now has white paint on her wings.
Some people have found their queens safe and well, fingers crossed for you.

Yes, I got some of the pen paint flowing by using it on the side of the box but when I went to put some on her a huge drop went on her.

Hopefully her wings aren't glued together.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Had it happen a few times - never bothered the queen or the bees, they have still been there inspection after inspection

 

[Swarm]

It's why I wait until they are laying before marking them. I used discs for a while but the risk of glue on the wings of virgins was a bit dodgy. I'm not that clever at intricate stuff these days so I can't (don't trust myself) hold them any more.

 

[Erichalfbee]

In retrospect I should have waited until I was sure that she was mated before marking her - and of course taken more care.

Countless breeders mark their virgin queens

 

[StephenT]

Here’s one I splodged last year. Still going strong.
View attachment trim.30AF12CC-DD1F-405C-8657-103C8C88315A.MOV

 

[Newbeeneil]

Had it happen a few times - never bothered the queen or the bees, they have still been there inspection after inspection

I agree, I've got several that have been "blobbed" none have been superseded to my knowledge.

 

[Rhyolite]

This one was a split queen, I never marked her last year so no concerns about laying. Thanks for the replies everyone