Numbering Queens - discuss

[Hombre]

I am intending to do a limited amount of queen rearing this year and of course marking came to mind.

As with warm way, cold way discussions, I realise that there will be a polarisation of pinions out there.
Some might be stood upright and some might have fallen on their backs by now and so there will likely be a polarisation of opinions also (couldn't help myself -honest)

My intention is to glue numbers onto the virgin queens before I drop them into their mating nucs, but I realise that others will prefer to number/mark their queens later, after they are mated.

I don't usually ask many questions, so you will realise that I'm not really looking for advice, but for a discussion of why you do what you do and how much you have really thought about the process.

 

[Mike a]

I don't mark queens any more I don't see why they need to be marked once a bee keeper sees how she waddles around and how the other bees form a circle around her, to me she stands out a mile.

However that aside I can think of several of reasons why it could be argued not to mark a virgin and very few reasons why it may seem worth while.

 

[drstitson]

i suppose marking and numbering is essential if you intend to produce a bee based lottery machine out of all your excess queens!!!!

 

[RoofTops]

I would be very wary of marking virgin queens. Apart from the extra weight the coloured disc will only make the queen stand out when she goes on her mating flight. The local swifts, swallows etc might find her easier to spot.

However, I am also aware that catching newly mated queens in mini-nucs can be great "fun". I read in Ron Brown's book on Apideas that a technique he used was to use a hair roller (cell protector) and place it over the queen if she is running around in the bottom of the mini-nuc and she will then climb up into it. I will give this a go this year.

 

[Chris B]

It's normal practice to mark a mated queen. Part of the reason is that ripe queen cells are normally introduced to mating colonies, so no chance to mark her at that point.

You'd better carry on practicing on drones Hombre. Virgin drones are better for this.

 

[MJBee]

I'm with previous posters - only mark successfully mated queens.

As to what to mark with - I have a kit with numbered discs in all the international colours, It is a pita to use IMO because the glue is applied to the queen's thorax then the (very) small disc has to be exactly positioned - then it all has to set. The few queens I have bought were just marked with the correct colour - KISS seems appropriate in this case methinks Mike

 

[Scutellator]

It is possible to mark newly hatched virgin queen and then to introduce her to the nuc, but if you are not a scientist who needs to know that the queen he finds latter in the nuc is exactly the same that was introduced, why you would do that?
It is much better if you leave the queen undisturbed until her own progeny emerge - then she will stand the stress much more easily. When marking( or clipping) queens within first week after they started to lay (not fully mature jet), 1 or 2 % of the queens lapse into a cataleptic shock.

 

[beebreeder]

You'd better carry on practicing on drones Hombre. Virgin drones are better for this.
Nice one Chris, I wonder how many will try and find a non virgin drone and mark it, big question is will anyone wait for eggs LO very Loud.
kev
Seriously Hombre leave them to get mated and laying well, sealed brood at the earliest, after all who knows if they go out for a topup while they can still fly.

 

[Hombre]

Thanks folks, all taken in and here was I thinking that a mated queen was likely to be more easily damaged. Whilst I came to the thread with a fixed notion, I have to admit that it's been well lubricated with reasoned argument and humour and I have to agree that I was wrong.

The main thing though, is now I know why I was wrong, on so many different counts . . . LoL

The humour will cost you dearly in chocolate bars Chris . . .

 

[mbc]

You'd better carry on practicing on drones Hombre. Virgin drones are better for this.
Nice one Chris, I wonder how many will try and find a non virgin drone and mark it, big question is will anyone wait for eggs LO very Loud.
kev
Seriously Hombre leave them to get mated and laying well, sealed brood at the earliest, after all who knows if they go out for a topup while they can still fly.

Totally agree - even newly mated queens can be ruined by marking. Not sure why, maybe smell( paint, glue or just my hand smell )upsets the bees so they noble her. This doesnt seem to happen once shes been laying for a while and her earliest eggs are being capped.

 

[broandy]

Hombre
Marking a virgin Queen has a higher rate of not getting excepted by the bees.

 

[Poly Hive]

Old tip, probably ancient in fact.

Mark queen and then smoke her lightly before putting back into the colony. Seems to mask the strange odour of the paint.

PH