Why We Mark Queens

Most beekeepers put a paint mark on each of their Queens once they’ve mated and settled down in a colony

Why?

  • it makes her easier to find when doing an inspection
  • you know if she’s not the Queen you saw last time
  • it reminds you how old she is
They can be tricky devils to spot (without paint)
Queen Colours
Each year has a set colour with which to mark that season’s Queen based on the last digit of the year

1 or 6 is White
2 or 7 is Yellow
3 or 8 is Red
4 or 9 is Green
5 or 0 is Blue

TitleDate
The Onset of Spring2021/02/172021-02-17 15:44:26
Deep and Crisp and Even2021/01/252021-01-25 21:51:00
Why We Mark Queens2020/09/042020-09-04 13:22:38
Bees Emerging2020/09/032020-09-03 16:00:05
Clouds of Bees2020/09/032020-09-03 15:41:53
Inspecting Polly – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:05:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Marie – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Borage – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Hazel – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Winter is Coming2020/08/282020-08-28 14:54:26
Inspecting Hazel – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:27
Inspecting Tatiana – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:20
Inspecting Bramble – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:08
Inspecting Marie – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:07
Inspecting Borage – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:06
Inspecting Polly – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:00
Inspecting Polly – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:59
Inspecting Hazel – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:44
Inspecting Bramble – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:29
Inspecting Borage – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:18
Inspecting Tatiana – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:12
Inspecting Marie – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:04:00
Inspecting Marie – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:01:00
Inspecting Borage – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:58:00
Inspecting Hazel – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:53:00
Inspecting Polly – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:51:00

Inspecting Hazel – 31st August 2020

Listen to the recording of us inspecting the colony

TitleDate
The Onset of Spring2021/02/172021-02-17 15:44:26
Deep and Crisp and Even2021/01/252021-01-25 21:51:00
Why We Mark Queens2020/09/042020-09-04 13:22:38
Bees Emerging2020/09/032020-09-03 16:00:05
Clouds of Bees2020/09/032020-09-03 15:41:53
Inspecting Polly – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:05:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Marie – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Borage – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Hazel – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Winter is Coming2020/08/282020-08-28 14:54:26
Inspecting Hazel – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:27
Inspecting Tatiana – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:20
Inspecting Bramble – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:08
Inspecting Marie – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:07
Inspecting Borage – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:06
Inspecting Polly – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:00
Inspecting Polly – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:59
Inspecting Hazel – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:44
Inspecting Bramble – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:29
Inspecting Borage – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:18
Inspecting Tatiana – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:12
Inspecting Marie – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:04:00
Inspecting Marie – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:01:00
Inspecting Borage – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:58:00
Inspecting Hazel – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:53:00
Inspecting Polly – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:51:00

Inspecting Hazel – 24th August 2020

Listen to the recording of us inspecting the colony
Hazel is on the right

TitleDate
The Onset of Spring2021/02/172021-02-17 15:44:26
Deep and Crisp and Even2021/01/252021-01-25 21:51:00
Why We Mark Queens2020/09/042020-09-04 13:22:38
Bees Emerging2020/09/032020-09-03 16:00:05
Clouds of Bees2020/09/032020-09-03 15:41:53
Inspecting Polly – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:05:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Marie – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Borage – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Hazel – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Winter is Coming2020/08/282020-08-28 14:54:26
Inspecting Hazel – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:27
Inspecting Tatiana – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:20
Inspecting Bramble – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:08
Inspecting Marie – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:07
Inspecting Borage – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:06
Inspecting Polly – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:00
Inspecting Polly – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:59
Inspecting Hazel – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:44
Inspecting Bramble – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:29
Inspecting Borage – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:18
Inspecting Tatiana – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:12
Inspecting Marie – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:04:00
Inspecting Marie – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:01:00
Inspecting Borage – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:58:00
Inspecting Hazel – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:53:00
Inspecting Polly – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:51:00

Inspecting Hazel – 9th August 2020

Listen to the recording of us inspecting the colony

TitleDate
The Onset of Spring2021/02/172021-02-17 15:44:26
Deep and Crisp and Even2021/01/252021-01-25 21:51:00
Why We Mark Queens2020/09/042020-09-04 13:22:38
Bees Emerging2020/09/032020-09-03 16:00:05
Clouds of Bees2020/09/032020-09-03 15:41:53
Inspecting Polly – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:05:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Marie – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Borage – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Hazel – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Winter is Coming2020/08/282020-08-28 14:54:26
Inspecting Hazel – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:27
Inspecting Tatiana – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:20
Inspecting Bramble – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:08
Inspecting Marie – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:07
Inspecting Borage – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:06
Inspecting Polly – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:00
Inspecting Polly – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:59
Inspecting Hazel – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:44
Inspecting Bramble – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:29
Inspecting Borage – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:18
Inspecting Tatiana – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:12
Inspecting Marie – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:04:00
Inspecting Marie – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:01:00
Inspecting Borage – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:58:00
Inspecting Hazel – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:53:00
Inspecting Polly – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:51:00

Inspecting Hazel – 29th July 2020

Listen to the recording of us inspecting the colony

TitleDate
The Onset of Spring2021/02/172021-02-17 15:44:26
Deep and Crisp and Even2021/01/252021-01-25 21:51:00
Why We Mark Queens2020/09/042020-09-04 13:22:38
Bees Emerging2020/09/032020-09-03 16:00:05
Clouds of Bees2020/09/032020-09-03 15:41:53
Inspecting Polly – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:05:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Marie – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Borage – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Inspecting Hazel – 31st August 20202020/08/312020-08-31 17:00:00
Winter is Coming2020/08/282020-08-28 14:54:26
Inspecting Hazel – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:27
Inspecting Tatiana – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:20
Inspecting Bramble – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:08
Inspecting Marie – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:07
Inspecting Borage – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:06
Inspecting Polly – 24th August 20202020/08/242020-08-24 17:00:00
Inspecting Polly – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:59
Inspecting Hazel – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:44
Inspecting Bramble – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:29
Inspecting Borage – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:18
Inspecting Tatiana – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:12
Inspecting Marie – 9th August 20202020/08/092020-08-09 17:00:00
Inspecting Tatiana – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:04:00
Inspecting Marie – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:01:00
Inspecting Borage – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 10:00:00
Inspecting Bramble – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:58:00
Inspecting Hazel – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:53:00
Inspecting Polly – 29th July 20202020/07/292020-07-29 09:51:00