jd101k2000
Field Bee
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2013
- Messages
- 654
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Caerbryn, near Llandybie
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 7
Today was a good day - spotted the unmarked queens in every hive I looked in! I thought I would mark them. Then the problem:
1) On the first one, got out my queen plunger. Realised that I needed to be particularly dextrous to operate the plunger with one hand, while holding the frame. Three hands would have been better (or a helper). Queen escaped.
2) One the second one, thought I would use my press-in cage. Queen decided to keep sticking her head into empty drone brood comb. Trapped her under the cage, but as there were no cappings for it to grip in the cage fell off. (I also don't like the thought of killing brood to mark the queen.) Queens 2 Bee keeper nil. Queen had rather fetching tiger stripes. (All the others were dark.)
3) Caught queen in a queen clip (really easy by the way). Took plunger out of queen plunger tool and, after working out that she only wanted to go DOWN got her into the cylinder and inserted plunger. Queen only wanted to poke her legs through the cage at first, but after some patience she turned over. Admired her red legs. Successfully marked her. (BTW do you find yourself talking to your bees, urging them on?)
4) Similar to 3), but this queen would only go UP.
So, a successful method. Do you have any better ways? (Yes, I do know that T's have a special one-handed tool. I laughed at it, but I am now thinking that it might be useful.)
1) On the first one, got out my queen plunger. Realised that I needed to be particularly dextrous to operate the plunger with one hand, while holding the frame. Three hands would have been better (or a helper). Queen escaped.
2) One the second one, thought I would use my press-in cage. Queen decided to keep sticking her head into empty drone brood comb. Trapped her under the cage, but as there were no cappings for it to grip in the cage fell off. (I also don't like the thought of killing brood to mark the queen.) Queens 2 Bee keeper nil. Queen had rather fetching tiger stripes. (All the others were dark.)
3) Caught queen in a queen clip (really easy by the way). Took plunger out of queen plunger tool and, after working out that she only wanted to go DOWN got her into the cylinder and inserted plunger. Queen only wanted to poke her legs through the cage at first, but after some patience she turned over. Admired her red legs. Successfully marked her. (BTW do you find yourself talking to your bees, urging them on?)
4) Similar to 3), but this queen would only go UP.
So, a successful method. Do you have any better ways? (Yes, I do know that T's have a special one-handed tool. I laughed at it, but I am now thinking that it might be useful.)