QueenMarking

Southcentral Alaska Beekeepers Association

Open the hive and find the queen

Pull the frame with the queen out of the hive

Come up behind the queen and
catch her by the wings

Take a small stick that is flat on the end
(like a wooden match stick) and dip it in
model paint or fingernail polish
and put a spot on the queens thorax
Being careful not to get paint on
her eyes or wings

Hold the queen for a little while until
the paint dries.
If you release her too soon into the hive the
bees will not recognize her pheromone

Release the queen back onto a frame of
bees and watch to make sure
the bees accept her.
Then slip the frame back into the hive.

All done! Queen marked!

Click on photo
for a larger
image

Queen Marking with Tom Elliott

Any color of paint can be used for marking your queens.

Commercial beekeepers use a color code for each year:

Years Ending in:

1 or 6 - White
2 or 7 - Yellow
3 or 8 - Red
4 or 9 - Green
5 or 0 - Blue

What!          1 or 6 - White
You             2 or 7 - Yellow
Raise          3 or 8 - Red
Green         4 or 9 - Green
Bees?!        5 or 0 - Blue