Queen colors

[iddee]

[Waveeater]

Is it just me? I can't see any attachment.

[Dallasbeek]

I see a question mark.

[iddee]

Here it is, but the first post is too old for me to modify. Maybe a mod can move it up.


[attachment=0][/attachment]

[Waveeater]

I have never messed with coloring my queens although I think with my eyes getting worse it would come in handy. I know some do and some don't. What do most folks do?

[iddee]

I don't. I have to laugh when a new beek says they are going to keep naturally,then mark and clip the queens. Doesn't seem all that natural to me.

[beepro]

Nice color!

I keep the Cordovan queens and have the daughters mated with the local carnis drones.
This way I can spot the queen faster.  Imagine one yellow queen standing out when other bees are darker on the
frame. Spotting the queen is easy.

[BeeMaster2]

I used to just use white, stands out and is easy to see.
Jim

[texanbelchers]

Iddee,  all those queens look to be the same color to me...

[iddee]

Like I said,Texan, I don't mark'em. They are all the same in my hives.      

[Dustymunky]

I like marking my queens. Easier to spot for piece of mind or when you you want to make splits and such.  I use non standard colors so i know my queens from others.  Caught 4 swarms in bait hives in my bee yards last year.  Sure is reassuring when u see a swarm queen and it isnt marked or its got someone elses mark :)

[TheHoneyPump]

LOL,
I have a few hives at a friend's place up by his house.  He is like a kid in candy store every time I go over to check the bees.  He's right in there asking tons of questions.  His enthusiasm is awesome.

He sees everything I see, when I see it.  Well almost.  A couple weeks ago he shared with me that he is color blind.  We were in his greenhouse and he was offering me ripe tomatoes and jalepino peppers.  He asked which ones I wanted, I said I will take those nice red ones right there ...( in amongst all of the green ones ).  Which ones where?  Then he told me.

So .... here's another LOL.  Few days ago we are deep into one of the hives for the very last brood check until next March.  Spotted the queen, she's doing great.  He say where.  I say right there!  She's easy to see man, she's the one with the big red 2018 dot on her back.  He grunts.   LOL!    Next year, 2019, is green.  Poor guy will not get a break until 2020/2021.

[beepro]

I already have lots of green pre-painted dots made  for next season's hives expansion.  All I
have to do is glue one on each mated queen.  Less messy and more efficient this way.