The queen is an important member of the bee swarm. To make it easier to identify it among other insects, experienced beekeepers use tags. Several devices and techniques are available for such a delicate procedure. How to properly mark the queen bee in order to complete the procedure quickly and not harm the insect? It is enough to consider all the options for the procedure, studying the features of each.
What is it for?
Queen tagging is used for several reasons.
- Makes the beekeeper's daily work easier.Despite the large parameters of the female, sometimes it is difficult to find her among thousands of birds even for a professional.
- Age of the insect. Thanks to a special marking system, beekeepers find out the age of the queens. This parameter is important, because the female’s fertility and the number of new offspring depend on it. The work requires 5 colors corresponding to the international system. They help estimate the age of an insect by year:
- white – 2024;
- blue – 2020;
- green – 2019;
- red – 2018;
- yellow – 2017 (the same color will indicate 2022).
- To determine the owner of the queen if she flies away with the swarm. All beekeepers working in the same area agree in advance on the color or type of tags to be used.
- In order to tie the queen to the hive, in case she gets lost during the “walk”.
- To account for all females in the apiary, their timely replacement and monitoring of natural replacement.
Methods for marking queen bees
Depending on the preferences of the beekeeper, his agreement with his partners and goals, the work is carried out in several ways.
Labeling
There are special multi-colored stickers for the 5-year insect identification cycle. For breeders, there are options with numbers from 1 to 100. For gluing, a special composition, sold in a set, or medical glue is used.
It is necessary to apply a drop of liquid on the back of the uterus between the wings, quickly stick the mark, holding it with your finger for 3-5 seconds (so that the glue sets). Afterwards, the individual is placed in a separate cage for 10-15 minutes so that the composition dries completely and the sticker does not fall off.
Paints
The main indicator of the following device is the correct consistency.If the paint is too thick, you will have to dilute it with regular acetone, otherwise the composition will curdle after application. It is better to add thinner dropwise so as not to overdo it. For application, a thin brush is used - one for each color.
Special markers
An alternative to paints and stickers, and even beginners can use markers. They do not contain toxic components, so they will not harm the uterus. The composition of the device is stable enough to last for several months, despite external factors: sun rays, water, mechanical stress. All markers are colored, but in addition to the basic 5 colors, you can purchase other shades to create your own insect classification system.
Wing clipping
According to most modern beekeepers, this is a barbaric method. It is used only by experienced professionals. The reason is a high risk of harming the individual. To make a mark, you need to carefully trim the right or left wing of the uterus. This helps to determine the age of the female: in the first year one wing is removed, in the second year the other is removed. On the third, according to the rules, the female must be changed.
Carrying out the procedure
To correctly mark an insect, it is important to follow the appropriate sequence of actions.
- To begin with, the individual must be found, removed from the honeycomb and placed in a place free from bees.
- Move from the right hand to the left so that the body of the insect is sandwiched between the index and thumb. It is important not to press too hard or touch the abdomen.
- Apply a mark to the back, making sure that its dimensions do not exceed 3 mm.
- Be sure to release the individual into a separate cage, where it will recover from the shock and the used composition will dry completely.
Security measures
In order not to damage such a valuable element of the swarm, it is recommended to apply the mark during the period when the female emerges from the queen cell. This is the time when she is relaxed and will not struggle too much. For convenience, a special ring or cap is used where the insect is placed and fixed in a stationary state.
Another option is a tube that resembles a syringe. The uterus is located inside. On one side there is a fine mesh, and on the other there is a foam piston that holds the female motionless.
