The queen bee is the leader of the bee colony and the mother of most, if not all, worker bees and bees. A healthy queen is important to the health of the beehive; if she ages or dies, the beehive will die too if she doesn't get a new queen in time. To protect the bee hive, beekeepers must know how to distinguish queen bees from other bees and mark them once they are recognized. Learn how to identify and mark queen bees by noting their different behavior, losilla, and physical characteristics.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Recognizing by Seeing
Step 1. Find the biggest bee
The queen bee is almost always the largest bee in the colony. Sometimes a seeder bee can be as big or even bigger than a queen bee, but you can tell them apart by their girth. The queen bee is longer and slimmer than the other bees.
Step 2. Notice the pointed belly shape
The bee's stomach is the lower part of the body near the stinger. The honey bee has a blunt belly, but the queen bee's belly is more pointed. You will easily distinguish honeybees this way.
Step 3. Look for the bee whose legs are stretched out
Worker bees and seed bees have their feet right under their bodies – you won't be able to see much of their legs if you look at them from above. Queen bees have legs that stretch outward, making them more visible.
Step 4. Look for a bee with a stinger without thorns
There is only one queen bee in each hive. If you find more than one possible queen bee, gently lift each bee across its thorax (midsection). Hold it under the magnifying glass and examine the stinger. Worker bees, sow bees, and virgin queen bees have thorns on their stingers. The queen bee sting is smooth and not prickly.
Method 2 of 4: Looking in the Right Place
Step 1. Look for bee larvae
Slowly take each hive frame and look for bee larvae. They look like little white jars, and you'll usually see them piled up next to each other. Since the queen bee lays all the eggs in the colony, she will most likely be near the eggs.
Be careful when lifting and replacing nest frames. You can kill the queen bee by accident
Step 2. Look for hidden places
The queen bee will not be on the edge of the hive or outside. Most likely he would be deep in the nest, away from outside disturbances. If you have a vertical nest box, it will likely be in one of the bottom frames. If your hive is horizontal, look for the queen bee in the center.
Step 3. Look for unusual activity in the nest
The queen bee will probably move to and fro in the hive. If you notice unusual activity in the hive, such as bees swarming or larvae in unusual places, the queen bee may be nearby.
Method 3 of 4: Recognizing by Behavior
Step 1. Watch the bee move out of the way
Worker bees and seed bees will always step aside when the queen bee is moving. After the queen passed, they would cluster where she was. Watch the bees move out of the way.
Step 2. Look for the bees that do nothing
The queen bee is fed by the entire hive and has no other task than laying eggs. Look for bees that don't seem to have a job. Maybe she's the queen.
Step 3. Pay attention to whether the bees are feeding certain bees
All the needs of the queen bee are met by all the inhabitants of the hive. Look for bees that show concern and feed other bees. This bee may not be a queen bee-it could be a virgin queen bee or a young bee-but it's most likely the queen.
Method 4 of 4: Marking the Queen Bee
Step 1. Choose the right paint color
Beekeepers have determined colors to identify the queen bee born in a given year. This step helps to retrieve the queen bee quickly, and to find out if the hive needs a new queen as soon as possible. Make sure you choose the right paint color before marking the queen bee.
- All acrylic paints are allowed. Many beekeepers use model paints or even paint pens.
- White paint is used for queens marked in years ending in 1 or 6.
- Use yellow for years ending in 2 or 7.
- Use red for years ending in 3 or 8.
- Use green for years ending in 4 or 9.
- Use blue for years ending in 5 or 0.
Step 2. Prepare your paint kit
Bees can get agitated or even hurt if you hold them too long. So make sure your paint is ready to mark before picking up the queen bee. Make sure the paintbrush or pen is dipped and ready to use in the other hand or on the small table next to the nest.
Step 3. Gently grab the queen bee by the wings or thorax
Be careful when picking it up – if it resists, you could accidentally tear its wings or squeeze them.
Some bee farms sell marking kits that will allow you to confine the queen bee in a small plastic box during tagging, but this step is not mandatory
Step 4. Hold the queen bee over the hive
That way, if you accidentally drop it, the queen bee will fall back into the hive instead of onto the grass or on your protective clothing. Keep the queen bee above the hive the entire time you are dealing with her.
Step 5. Apply a small dot of paint on the thorax
Put a small dot on the thorax, right between the two front legs. Apply enough paint to make your mark visible, but don't use too much-you can glue the wings or legs together as the paint dries.
Step 6. Trim the tips of the wings (optional)
Some beekeepers prefer to trim the queen bee's wings instead of marking them with paint, but this step is optional. If you choose to do this, gently take the queen bee and cut off the lower quarters of both wings with special small scissors.
Tips
- Check the hive periodically to make sure there is still a queen bee in it.
- In addition to harvesting honey, try harvesting royal jelly to use as a supplement.
Warning
- Always wear protective clothing when dealing with bees.
- If you're marking a queen bee by clipping her wings, make sure you trim only the ends. If you shear too much, the worker bee may think it's injured and kill it.
