Take care where you put the q catcher

[Bluetractorman]

I'd put a newly laying Q into a queen catcher on the roof of an adjacent hive while I got out my scissors and marking pen.
A bee, presumably from the hive, the roof of which I'd used (double brood with four supers) got into the Q catcher and stung the queen. I opened the catcher to separate them and two others attacked her.
After separating them I put her straight back onto a comb, clearly alive but only just. Her colony were looking after her. I watched for a few minutes during which she was mainly on her side, legs and antennae moving but this didn't look like ending well. I thought I'd post this as one of a long list of "things I've learned the hard way" in the hope that it helps others. Another "hamlet cigar" moment.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

best place to put those queen killers catchers is straight in the bin

 

[ericbeaumont]

while I got out my scissors and marking pen.

Trick is to have the pen and scissors laid out before you start. Pick up the Q by her wings by bringing finger & thumb from behind her (wait until she walks from right to left if you're right-handed), transfer her to the parking slot between your left-hand finger & thumb (with your middle finger underneath both) and pick up the pen. Never take your eyes off her.

 

[rolande]

Trick is to have the pen and scissors laid out before you start. Pick up the Q by her wings by bringing finger & thumb from behind her (wait until she walks from right to left if you're right-handed), transfer her to the parking slot between your left-hand finger & thumb (with your middle finger underneath both) and pick up the pen. Never take your eyes off her.

@elainemary may have just cause to roll eyes and shake her head at what follows considering our exchange on the subject of clipping back in January. Anyway, I always reserve the right to change my mind if need be, and this season with a partially screwed hand I took the decision to clip any queens I came across just to try and reduce the workload at a time when I wasn't sure how things would work out.

Not as clean an operation as I've done in the past but considering that all the clipping was done within 6 weeks of major hand surgery and all of the queens are still happily going about their business I'm not going to be too hard on myself.

Although the photo doesn't show this, it's a good trick if you can to sit the queen on the middle finger while holding with thumb and forefinger as it gives her something to 'grip' with her legs.

 

[Bluetractorman]

Trick is to have the pen and scissors laid out before you start. Pick up the Q by her wings by bringing finger & thumb from behind her (wait until she walks from right to left if you're right-handed), transfer her to the parking slot between your left-hand finger & thumb (with your middle finger underneath both) and pick up the pen. Never take your eyes off her.

Thanks Eric, excellent advice.

 

[hemo]

Newly laying Q's I don't clip until the next spring , my SS garden colony Q (SS late last August) I clipped three weeks ago.
I walk away from the colony and clip the queen away from the hustle and bustle of the colony, initially I will capture her in one of those Q foam plunger cage things.

 

[rolande]

I'd second @hemo with regards to clipping queens in the spring following their first year as a general management method.