Buzz
A queen bee acts as the guiding force in a bee colony and is the primary mother of most, if not all, worker and drone bees. The hive's well-being heavily relies on a healthy queen; without a timely replacement when she ages or passes away, the hive faces imminent demise. Beekeepers play a crucial role in hive maintenance by mastering the art of distinguishing a queen bee from others and marking her once identified. Discover the techniques to identify and mark your queen bee by observing differences in behavior, location, and physical attributes.
Procedure
Identification by Observation
Spot the largest bee. Typically, the queen bee is the largest bee within the colony. Although drones may also be sizable or even larger than the queen, their thickness distinguishes them. The queen bee appears longer and slimmer compared to other bees.
Observe for a tapered abdomen. The abdomen of a bee is its lower body part near the stinger. While honeybees have rounded abdomens, the queen bee's abdomen is more pointed, making her easy to distinguish.
Notice a bee with legs spread apart. Worker and drone bees have legs positioned directly under their bodies, making their legs less visible from above. On the contrary, the queen bee's legs extend outward, making them prominently visible.
Examine the stinger for barbs. Within a hive, there's only one queen bee. To identify her among potential candidates, gently lift each bee by its thorax (midsection) and inspect their stingers under magnification. Workers, drones, and virgin queens have barbed stingers, while the queen's stinger is smooth and barb-free.
Choosing the Right Techniques
Spot the larvae. Carefully remove hive frames and search for larvae, resembling small white grubs typically grouped together. Since the queen lays all eggs in the colony, larvae sightings hint at her presence nearby.
- Handle hive frames with extreme care to avoid accidentally harming the queen.
Explore secluded spots. The queen bee prefers staying deep inside the hive rather than lingering at the hive's perimeter or exterior. In vertical hives, she tends to occupy lower frames, while in horizontal hives, she's typically found near the center.
Observe hive activity for clues. Queen bees may move within the hive, leading to unusual activities such as bee clustering or unexpected larvae sightings. These signs hint at the queen's presence nearby.
Begin from the top box and work downwards. Queens often move between frames when inspected, so check the frame below after removing one from the hive. Once a box is inspected, place it on the ground and examine the box below it.
Behavior-Based Identification
Observe bees parting to make way. Worker and drone bees will clear a path when the queen moves through. After she passes, they'll gather where she was. Keep an eye out for bees clearing a path.
Spot a bee without assigned tasks. The queen bee's sole responsibility is egg-laying and being nourished by the hive members. Keep an eye on bees that seem idle, as one of them is likely the queen.
Observe bees tending to a specific bee. The queen receives constant care and attention from the hive. Look for bees feeding or grooming another bee attentively. While it might not always be the queen (could be a virgin queen or a young bee), chances are high that it's her.
Tagging Your Queen
Choose the appropriate paint color. Beekeepers use designated colors to mark queens based on their birth years, aiding in quick identification and determining if the hive requires a new queen soon. Ensure you select the correct paint color before marking your queen.
- Any acrylic-based paint is suitable, including model paint or paint pens.
- For queens born in years ending in 1 or 6, use white paint.
- Yellow is used for queens born in years ending in 2 or 7.
- For years ending in 3 or 8, opt for red paint.
- Queens born in years ending in 4 or 9 are marked with green paint.
- Blue paint is for queens born in years ending in 5 or 0.
Prepare your painting materials. To avoid agitating or injuring bees, have your paint ready for marking before handling the queen. Keep the paintbrush or paint pen ready in your other hand or on a nearby table next to the hive.
Handle her gently by the wings or thorax. Carefully lift the queen bee by her wings or thorax. Take extreme care to avoid damaging her wings or causing harm while handling her.
- Some beekeepers offer marking kits that allow you to confine the queen in a small plastic box during marking, but this is not mandatory.
Keep her over the hive. To prevent the queen from falling onto the ground or your beekeeping gear if dropped accidentally, ensure she remains over the hive throughout the marking process.
Apply a small dot of paint to her thorax. Place a small dot of paint on her thorax, positioned directly between her front legs. Use enough paint to create a visible mark without over-applying, which could hinder her wings or legs with dried paint.
Consider clipping her wing tips (optional). Some beekeepers opt to clip the queen's wings instead of using paint for marking, although this step is not required. If you choose to do so, handle her gently and trim the bottom quarter of both wings with beekeeping clippers.
Helpful Tips
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Never work without proper protection, especially if you're allergic to bee stings!
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Consider harvesting royal jelly in addition to honey for its supplemental benefits.
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You don't necessarily need to spot the queen during hive inspections. Focus on observing signs of a healthy queen, such as the presence of eggs, larvae, and capped brood.
Cautionary Notes
- Always wear protective gear while handling bees.
- If you choose to mark the queen by clipping her wings, ensure you only trim the tips. Clipping too close may lead worker bees to perceive her as injured and potentially harm her.
