Among the bees, the queen deserves special attention. To make it easier to find it among other bees and to obtain certain information, beekeepers resort to tagging. This provides many benefits. You can mark the uterus in different ways - each option has its own characteristics.
Why mark queens?
The tagging of queens is carried out for various purposes. It greatly facilitates the work of the beekeeper, since finding a queen among thousands of other bees is problematic even taking into account its larger size. Tagging is also carried out in order to receive certain information on a specific individual or an entire apiary:
- Age. Thanks to a special tagging system, you can find out the age of the uterus, since its egg production and the ratio of fertilized and unfertilized eggs depend on it (as we age, the number of unfertilized eggs from which drones emerge increases). In total, 5 flowers are used - one for each year, since the life expectancy of the uterus is on average 5 years. The year of birth of an individual is determined according to the international system:
- 2014, 2019 - green;
- 2015, 2020 - blue;
- 2016, 2021 - white;
- 2017, 2022 - yellow;
- 2018, 2023 - red.
- Bee owner. This option is convenient when swarming bees, especially if there are several apiaries in the area. Beekeepers agree among themselves and choose their own color of the mark.
- Beehive in the apiary. Tagging according to this principle helps during swarming of bees and if the queen is lost.
- The origin of the individual. They mark queens for breeding work, breed differences, tracking the quality of an individual and the productivity of herself and her offspring.
- Time to replace the uterus.
- Isolation of infertile queens before mating.
- Tracking cases of silent uterine change.
- Keeping records of queens.
Methods for labeling queens
Beekeepers mark queens in various ways. A suitable option is selected depending on their own preferences and tagging purposes.
Special stickers for tagging
This method is attractive for its simplicity and minimum preparatory work. For marking, special stickers (opaliks) are used, the material for which is usually foil, a plastic curved body.
There are special five-year sticker sets, that is, a specific color is used for each year. Numbering from 1 to 100 may also be provided - this option is convenient for breeding work.
Such labels are glued with medical glue BF or with a special tool in the kit (usually an alcohol solution). To mark the uterus, a small drop of the composition is applied to the area between the wings and quickly apply a sticker, slightly pressing on it. The marked individual must be kept in the cage for some time - this is necessary for the glue to dry and the tag to be securely attached.
An experienced beekeeper in the video below shows and tells how to mark queens with opalites:
Labeling queens with paint
The use of paint to mark queens is a common method. The colorant can be purchased at a specialist beekeeping store or veterinary pharmacy. For marking, a system of colors by year, a specific color for a specific apiary, or any other option convenient for the beekeeper can be used.
The paint for marking must be of a certain consistency. If necessary, acetone is used to dilute it, since an excessively thick composition will curdle. It should not be strongly diluted, as the liquid paint will spread and can harm the insect.
It is more convenient to apply paint with a thin brush. A diameter of 1-1.5 cm is enough. You can use one brush, each time rinsing it with acetone, but it is more convenient to purchase several accessories - separately for each color. You can replace the tool with a match or a toothpick.
Tagging is performed according to the following algorithm:
- Take the insect with your right hand and place it in your left hand (vice versa for left-handers). You need to hold the uterus with your thumb and forefinger so that its abdomen is near the nail of the middle finger.
- The abdomen of an individual must not be touched.
- A colored circle is made on the back of the insect. Its dimensions should be no more than 3 mm.
- Place the insect in a cage to dry the paint. Half an hour is enough for this, but for safety reasons it is better to wait 1-1.5 hours.
The marking paint is applied exclusively to the back of the insect. The substance should not come into contact with its wings or head. It is recommended for beginners to use drones or worker bees for training - the loss of several individuals of this status is not terrible.
How to mark the uterus with paint is shown in the video below:
Tagging bees with paints has several disadvantages: the inability to number individuals because of their size, the fragility of the composition (it is erased quickly enough, and besides, the bees are in a hurry to clean their queen of fresh paint) and toxicity. There is also a risk of disturbing the hive, as the paint has a specific odor. This factor must be taken into account when choosing a composition, as well as after applying it - the longer you keep the bee separately, the better the smell will disappear.
Some beekeepers use nail polish instead of paints. This option is attractive for its low cost and rich selection of colors. The varnish does not last long, so it is convenient to use it for specific purposes, for example, labeling infertile queens.
Marking queens with a marker
Special markers for marking have become an excellent alternative to paints. They are convenient to use even for beginners in beekeeping. An important advantage of the composition used is the absence of toxicity, which means it is harmless to insects. It is convenient to carry markers with you - they fit in your pocket, you can mark an individual at any time. The advantages include the stability of the composition - proven manufacturers use high-quality dyes that are resistant to UV radiation and water.
Labeling the uterus with a marker using a special ring
Colored markers are used for marking. In the assortment you can find not only 5 basic colors, but also other options. This allows you to develop your own tagging system for each apiary.
Clipping the wings
This method can only be used by professional beekeepers, as there is a high risk of harming the queen. If there are several bee colonies in the apiary, then to distinguish the queens, their wings are cut in a special way - to the right or left, a certain half, to a specific length.
Often, the pruning feature is oriented towards the year - in an odd year, wings are pruned on one side, in an even year, on the opposite. This option is effective as the queens are usually replaced every 2 years.
In any case, they act according to the following algorithm:
- Hold the specimen by the breast with your left hand, securing it with your thumb and forefinger. In this case, the wings should be free.
- Trim half of a specific wing. To do this, you need to use small and sharply sharpened scissors with rounded ends so as not to accidentally injure the uterus.
Wing clipping is performed after the uterus has mated, when she is already laying eggs. This tagging method has an undeniable advantage - the prevention of swarming.
Many modern beekeepers regard wing clipping as a barbaric method, so they prefer the use of paints, markers or stickers. It is believed that the clipped wings of the uterus negatively affect its life and efficiency.
When tagging queens by clipping the wings, there is a risk that the rest of the individuals in the bee colony will perceive it as unhealthy and damaged. In this case, a change of queen may occur.
The disadvantage of this method is the fact that the clipped wings give out little of the uterus. It is also problematic to find it among other bees, and to identify the features of pruning, the individual must be carefully examined. Colored spots and numbering are much more effective.
Features of uterine labeling
It is recommended to tag queens immediately after they leave the queen cell. During this period, individuals are in a calm state, contained in special cells.
An experienced beekeeper can mark the queen right next to the nest. The insect can fly away during the process, so it is recommended to mark in front of a closed window - it is most convenient to catch a bee on the glass. This option is especially good when you need to mark infertile queens - they fly very well.
For ease of labeling, you can use a special cap or ring. The ring is used if the uterus needs to be marked with a marker, paint, or sticker. With this device, the individual is slightly pressed down. This option allows you to mark the uterus directly on the comb, but only with a marker - the paint will not have time to dry, so the worker bees will simply clean it off.
The caps are used to put a mark on the bee's head. This option is useful when using markers.
For the convenience of labeling the queens, a special tube is also used that resembles a syringe. One end of the tube is bounded by a lattice, to which the individual will be pressed in the process. The uterus is pressed with the help of a piston with a soft foam rubber base - it allows not to damage the bee.
When marking queens according to the international system, colored buttons are also used for frames (hives). The color of the queen's mark must match the color of the button. Instead, you can mark the frame or hive with the appropriate paint.
Tagging of queens is an important process in the apiary. With its help, the work of the beekeeper is greatly facilitated - he can quickly find the queen among thousands of other bees, receive certain information on a specific individual. Tagging is done in different ways. Each method has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.