Queen Marking

[Mellifera Crofter]

... I have stabbed one with the crown of thorns
so its crack pipe/pooter and blow into a thornes plunger style marking cage
I might investigate the turn and mark type though ...

I've injured a queen's abdomen with the crack pipe - so I've never used it again. I've never tried the crown of thorns either. The queen can move fast and after the crack-pipe incident, I'm too scared that I'll cause another injury (and stab some brood as well). I've also used the butterfly clip, and the queen escaped out of it! Now I just gently herd the queen into a turn-and-mark plunger thingy. I haven't yet tried to pick her up. I think I'll have to learn to do that for one of the practical Beemaster exams.

Kitta

[fatshark]

Was the queen injured in/exiting the crack pipe, or when getting her into it? I've used them quite a bit - for queen marking I hasten to add - and only really struggled getting excited, flighty queens into the pipe. I never liked the crown of Thorne's … mainly because of the number of times I impaled my own fingers when it had detached from it's protective lump of poly in my bee box. I now use my fingers, either marking directly or via a plunger cage if I'm feeling less confident/more cackhanded.

Of course, if she's a really valuable queen (not £££ … just valuable to me) I'll almost certainly drop her in the long grass. It's important to then take one giant step away from the hive and let her find her own way back … you can guess how I worked out a big step is better than scrabbling around on my hands and knees searching for her

I've tried using superglue (the rubbery version) to attach numbered disks with little success, though the glue certainly sticks to everything (again ). I've recently inherited an Apinaut system which has a little tube of glue which I'll try next season. I bet nail varnish would stick those numbered disks in place …

[Mellifera Crofter]

Was the queen injured in/exiting the crack pipe, or when getting her into it? …

Trying to catch her. In one if my attempts to put the foot over her, I must have pressed down lightly on her abdomen - but enough to have caused a slight dent. That was in my second year of beekeeping. I hope I'm better now - but I still avoid the pipe.
Kitta

[Castor]

I have a one-handed jobbie & use it all the time. Quick and very efficient if used with care - no problems with it.

[Little_John]

I've tried using superglue (the rubbery version) to attach numbered disks with little success, though the glue certainly sticks to everything (again ). I've recently inherited an Apinaut system which has a little tube of glue which I'll try next season. I bet nail varnish would stick those numbered disks in place …

I've been told by those who use magnetic disks that Titebond GEL superglue is the stuff to use.

I made my own 'turn and mark' gizmo - using s/s wires at Q/X spacing and a soft piece of sponge on the plunger. Haven't managed to damage a queen yet ...

LJ

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi chaps can anyone tell me where to source those big fluorescent marking discs
I have trawled the net looking for them

I had a go with the tiny numbered jobs but they are very hard to get on
In fact it sort of stuck but way off centre so I let her back in the hive so the bees could get it off before the glue set