Topic: Marking Queen Bees

[bombus]

How do you mark your Queens and what with? I'm having trouble with marking coming off, which is annoying when trying to artificially swarm in a hurry. :'(

[Robert_Brenchley]

Some things do come off, which I agree is irritating. I had to re-mark a queen the other week, so my solution is definitely not perfect. I'm using paint markers I buy from Thorne's, but people use all sorts of things. Modelmakers' paint is another possibility. One good tip, whatever you're using, is to apply it firmly, as it's possible to get a blob of paint on the thorax hairs, and then it wears off as the hairs do.

Dave Cushman has a good page on methods here, but says little about what to use.

http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/clipmark.html

[Toadspawn]

When I get round to marking a queen I trap it on the surface of the frame with a thing obtained years ago as a queen marking tool and then dap a blob of Snowpake/Tippex correction fluid on the thorax. This means that the queen is always maked in white rather than the colour of the year but at least it means that I can see it.

[Robert_Brenchley]

What does the 'thing' look like? I use a crown of thorns, which is a circular bit of plastic with nails sticking through it (don't kneel on them!) and a cotton mesh across the middle. You push it down over the queen until she's well and truly held,  and the nails hold it in place while you mark her. It's actually quite easy to pick them up, but I always worry about leaving my scent on her.

[Toadspawn]

Sounds as though it is the same thing. Also used it to trap the queen to cut off the wings on one side, but that was many years ago.

[bombus]

Sounds as if we have the same problem Robert, I use Thornes Paint markers myself. I will mention this when I'm next in Thornes and see what they say about the subject. I only have one hive left to artificially swarm and I'm going to Snelgrove it, having just made a new board up ready. Do any of you use this method?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Never tried it, but I'm thinking of getting a board as it sounds like a neat way of getting queen cells. I've been demareeing hives, but they don't necessarily produce cells.

I don't normally have marks disappear, but this one was really faint. Do you have the same problem with every colour? This one was marked white.

[bombus]

My problem has also been with the white marker, I've not marked this years queens yet, I like them to be well accepted before marking them. Will let you know if the yellow marker plays up.