Queen marking pens

[Olivia9801]

I’ve been using the traditional Queen marking pens for a while and have often found that at the worst time when using them, they haemorrhage their ink either all over the poor Queen or hive/frame.

Can anyone recommend and alternative pen?

Olivia9891

 

[Newbeeneil]

I don't know what you mean by traditional, Posca maybe? I use Toma which dry much quicker but I believe @ericbeaumont has another alternative.

 

[Ian123]

Toma..,…. They are a similar type but harder wearing than the Pocasa, dot the back of your hand before any queen

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes Toma here
Fluorescent green for home bred queens and pink for swarms

 

[PeaBee]

Another one for Toma

 

[enrico]

£1 from the pound store. Acrylic paint pen. Only in yellow though so all my queens are yellow!

 

[holmbee]

Toma here too. Used to use Posca but Toma far better with good range of bright colours.

 

[madasafish]

Toma.

 

[ericbeaumont]

haemorrhage their ink

They all do that if temps. are high, and will dry out quickly if left open just before marking. Keep the pen top on loosely, and shake it off to mark.

Had high hopes for the Zeyar, recommended by Laurence on a Black Mountain Honey video, but a thick nib arrived (ordered thin) and for paint application, that nib is the least effective: it marks with a ring rather than a spot, and heavier pressure to improve flow, or tapping, produces a blob. Will try a thin nib soon.

Toma does the job well, and BMH recommended them on an earlier video, and also reviewed POSCA, Toma and UNIPaint (which has a thinner tip).

I want a pen to write code notes on roofs and none of these oil-based marker pens do that, but dry out almost immediately, especially if the roof is hot. Found by chance that a Pilot Super Color Fine Tip (it's not) works OK (but will still flood or dry out); Pilot also do an extra fine, but the colour range is limited and will disappoint Laurence.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

I’ve been using the traditional Queen marking pens for a while and have often found that at the worst time when using them, they haemorrhage their ink either all over the poor Queen or hive/frame.

Can anyone recommend and alternative pen?

Olivia9891

i was using the pens and got fed up with them flooding and the nibs too fat

have switched to the little pots of paint from Th@rn3s for £1.50 and they are excellent....perfect from my perspective for getting a perfect dot...and...the cage with a bee space they sell with horizontal gaps rather than small holes makes it a perfect combination....v v satisfying and so far have got it right every time

 

[Ian123]

What ever happens don’t leave pens in the sun. They will flood then!

 

[Olivia9801]

I meant POSCA as being the ones I've used. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I’ve been using the traditional Queen marking pens for a while and have often found that at the worst time when using them, they haemorrhage their ink either all over the poor Queen or hive/frame.

Can anyone recommend and alternative pen?

Olivia9891

I so agree. I mark maybe a hundred queens on queen marking day. The pens fail every time. Dry out and then flood the queen. I like Testor's Model paint. My paint brush is free, and grows everywhere. A thin piece of Timothy seed Stem.

queen-marking