queen marking cages

[Swarm]

Well, if I used that kind of force the dented queen would be more of an issue than an over spill of paint.

Remember the photo of a blue marked queen posted here? I was amazed she was still alive.
I'm struggling to hold them now, any delicate pinching type movement with my left hand can be very painful, I had to give up gluing discs on last year. It's a nuisance, sometimes it's fine other times it's ouch.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Well, if I used that kind of force the dented queen would be more of an issue than an over spill of paint.

Does anyone really push down on the queen to mark them, must be a bit heavy handed to damage a queen in this way.
I also use the toma pen like Neil.
Q what colour is it this year?

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Remember the photo of a blue marked queen posted here? I was amazed she was still alive.
I'm struggling to hold them now, any delicate pinching type movement with my left hand can be very painful, I had to give up gluing discs on last year. It's a nuisance, sometimes it's fine other times it's ouch.

was it me that posted the photo

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Does anyone really push down on the queen to mark them, must be a bit heavy handed to damage a queen in this way.
I also use the toma pen like Neil.
Q what colour is it this year?

yellow

 

[Newbeeneil]

Does anyone really push down on the queen to mark them, must be a bit heavy handed to damage a queen in this way.
I also use the toma pen like Neil.
Q what colour is it this year?

Just bought 2 yellow ones online (I'm bound to lose one)

 

[Erichalfbee]

I use Toma pens too after somebody recommended them here. Always white. Swarm queens are fluorescent pink.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I use Toma pens too after somebody recommended them here. Always white. Swarm queens are fluorescent pink.

Probably Newbeeneil.
I have white pens from last year so I'll use them.
Although I do like the fluorescent pink you can see the queen's really easily.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Probably Newbeeneil.
I have white pens from last year so I'll use them.
Although I do like the fluorescent pink you can see the queen's really easily.

But you need to mark queens accordingly if you are selling them.

 

[Curly green finger's]

But you need to mark queens accordingly if you are selling them.

True that was also my thought.

 

[Erichalfbee]

True that was also my thought.

So not white and pink this year

 

[Newbeeneil]

But you need to mark queens accordingly if you are selling them.

I always used to use fluorescent pink but now I sell a few nucs I like to use the proper colours.

 

[Curly green finger's]

So not white and pink this year

Aye i know

 

[Garry R]

I have found it strange that of the 5 year based colours, two (red and green) are not great for those who are colour blind. I like the pink, there is also a fluorescent pale blue and a fluor pale green which stands out well. I use a range of colours at any one time. I don't need to know the year as I don't sell them but I note the colour in my hive records. For a belt and braces when I finish marking using a crown of thorns cage ( the one with threads rather than the plastic moulded ones) I put a small dot using the pen on the outside of the box so I know which colour to look for in my inspection. If I do not see her then she may have gone/swarmed (rare) or been superceded. Anything to make life easy. I generally freshen the marking once during the season as the paint can wear off the queen.

 

[Murox]

So not white and pink this year

Aye i know

Just for Curly - a ready made reminder

 

[Curly green finger's]

Just for Curly - a ready made reminder
View attachment 29868

Thanks mate! I have it somewhere I'll print this out and put it up in the honey room.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks mate! I have it somewhere I'll print this out and put it up in the honey room.

Write the years on the pens.

 

[Arfermo]

So not white and pink this year

Candy stripe for me>

 

[Curly green finger's]

Write the years on the pens.

Didn't think of that cheers.