I’ve seen some discussions in here about whether or not to mark your queen. I do think it has advantages - not just to find her more easily, but to know her age and see if she got replaced by a new one too for example.
But I am not sure how to mark her. As far as I know there are two main methods: Using special marker pens or small discs that are glued on with shellac.
Are there any pros or cons to these methods?
Pens look easier, but can the bees clean it off more easily? Can the discs hinder the queen in their movements or can you mess up the gluing and hurt the queen?
I use non-toxic acrylic marker pens. Yes, the paint does wear off a bit over time, but as I replace my queens every year or two, that isn’t an issue for me.
The glued discs are generally used by queen breeders, researchers and other professionals. They are much trickier to install, and they can come off too. Bees do have spiracles on their thorax (to help them breathe), so it would be important not to get glue into the openings. That can also happen with the pen of course, but I think it is easier to control with a pen tip. The discs shouldn’t hinder the queen, as they are quite thin, and the bee space inside the hive is more than adequate to accommodate them.
I would suggest trying a pen, and if you see it wearing off after a few inspections, either re-mark her with a pen, or try the discs.
These are the pens I use:
https://www.amazon.com/Acrylic-Marker-Medium-Version-PC5M8SET/dp/B07Z86PHP8/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2VX4P9BN0029W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3V7V43ZUje_iBRnDgVoxma3qBmjzMLMncprISjqTpONXAsV-SwcTCfNjTAU_D3S1fPqbVZPbf5aOY-QKQlcsdYvFbb2tK_CdvMdtFhWrxQKF2Ye6DDihO2tpGaZnuNmKEzaUn1sfCLRvsgqQS4hIOdHJLJkzmIxYq5WXNyGp36TFoiWz26iSYM8EiVyqzmt5fsi4sXHZ1Y1H5RaRWMHLgtnJpac3jHYhQnvzwqZdYgforeJDtN_DP_QAcgWBzjC1ZKv3gtmUy0iGAEztqDuke60K0Ep1HrwW_pjWXQgiRdI.oR6t-Y3osHsNx9ZPxjWDQYeGR5oTHWKBq3NGDTGeNvo&dib_tag=se&keywords=posco+marker+set&qid=1712001838&sprefix=posco%2Caps%2C245&sr=8-5
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I agree with Dawn’s comments. My suggestion is to practice on drones until you feel comfortable with your technique. Also, dab off any excess paint before applying to the thorax to avoid flooding.
Mike
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We just spent an evening at our local bee group talking about tips and tricks to finding queens and how to mark them. The highlight was watching people practice marking the drones we bought in. the only tip there is use a different colour to what you will use on your queen.
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