Marking Queens

[GSF]

What kind of paint is used to mark queens? I'm sure it has to be a certain kind because a lot of paint is oil/petro based.

What's the name of the contraption used to catch a new queen? Queen catcher?

[Michael Bush]

>What kind of paint is used to mark queens?

Any kind of enamel works.

>I'm sure it has to be a certain kind because a lot of paint is oil/petro based.

Most enamel is, but it works fine.  Enamel pens are at the hardware store int he paint department.

>What's the name of the contraption used to catch a new queen? Queen catcher?

Hair clip queen catcher.  Then you need a marking tube, and a queen muff is nice...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenrearing.htm#colors

I would buy a pen of next year's color and this year's color.  Mark a few hundred drones with next year's color (they will be dead by next year) then, when you are comfortable with your method, try a queen.

[GSF]

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.

[RHBee]

Everything Michael said is correct. I however don't follow the yearly color codes because I mark my queens only to make them easy to find. I use the Uni Posca pen, it's waterbased. The color that is easy for me to find is red. I know this doesn't follow the rules but it works for me.