Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Identify by characteristics
• Method 2 of 4: Search in the right place
• Method 3 of 4: Behavioral identification
• Method 4 of 4: Marking the queen
• Tips
• Warnings

A queen bee is the leader of a bee colony and the mother of most, if not all, drones. A healthy queen is necessary for a healthy hive. When she grows old or dies and a new queen is not found in time, the entire colony will die. To maintain beehives, beekeepers must be able to distinguish a queen bee from the other bees and mark her once identified. Learn how to identify and mark a queen bee by looking for differences in behavior, location, and physical characteristics.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Identify by characteristics

1. Look for the largest bee. The queen is almost always the largest bee in the colony. Sometimes drones grow to be just as big, or even bigger, than the queen, but you can still distinguish them based on width. The queen will be longer and narrower than any other bees.
2. Check for a pointed belly. A bee's belly is the lower part of its body, near the stinger. Honeybees have bulky bellies, but the queen's belly has a more pointed shape. You can easily recognize the queen by this.
3. Look for a bee that is skewed on its legs. The feet of drones are directly under their bodies - you won't really be able to see them if you look at them from above. The queen's legs are turned outwards, making them much easier to see.
4. Look for a barbed stinger. There is only one king per hive. If you find more than one bee that qualifies as a possible queen, gently lift each bee by its thorax (the center of its body). Hold them under a magnifying glass and inspect the stinger. Darren and queens-to-be have barbed hooks on their stings. The queen's stinger is smooth, without barbs.

Method 2 of 4: Search in the right place

1. Find the larvae. Carefully remove each frame from the hive and look for larvae. They look like little white worms, and you usually see them in heaps next to each other. Since the queen lays all of the colony's eggs, she will likely be nearby.
   • Be very careful when lifting and replacing the frames. You can accidentally kill the queen.
2. Check the hidden locations. The queen will not be on the edge of the hive or outside. She will likely be deep in the hive, away from the hustle and bustle of the outside. If you have a vertical basket, it will likely be in one of the bottom frames. If you have a horizontal basket, find it somewhere in the middle.
3. Watch for unusual activity in the hive. The queen can move within her hive. If you notice unusual activity in the hive, such as bees gathering in groups or larvae where you normally don't see them, the queen may be nearby.

Method 3 of 4: Behavioral identification

1. Look for bees that move away from the area. Darren will always step aside when the queen arrives. After she is over, they will come together where she was. So watch out for bees that get out of the way.
2. Look for a bee that doesn't do anything. The queen is fed by the rest of the bees and has no responsibilities other than laying eggs. So look out for a bee that doesn't seem to be doing a job. That's probably the queen.
3. Check whether the bees are feeding a specific bee. The queen is served at her beck and call by the rest of the hive. Look for bees giving attention and food to another bee. This doesn't have to be the queen - it could also be a queen-to-be or a young bee - but chances are it is the queen.

Method 4 of 4: Marking the queen

1. Choose the right color of paint. Beekeepers have certain colors to identify queens born in a specific year. This will help you identify the queen quickly and determine if the hive will soon have a new queen. Make sure you have the right color of paint before marking your queen.
   • Any acrylic paint is good. Many beekeepers use paint for modeling or even paint pens.
   • White paint is used for queens from years ending with 1 or 6.
   • If the year ends with 2 or 7, use yellow.
   • Use red for years ending in 3 or 8.
   • Green paint is used for years ending in 4 or 9.
   • Use blue paint for years ending in 5 or 0.
2. Prepare your paint stuff. Bees can get irritated or injured if you hold them for too long, so have your paint ready for marking before picking up the queen.Have paint on the brush whether you have the pen ready in your other hand or on a small table next to the hive.
3. Pick her up gently by the wings or thorax. Pick up the queen gently by her wings or thorax. Be very careful when picking up - if she resists you could accidentally tear her wings or crush her.
   • Some beekeepers sell marker sets that allow you to place the queen in a small, plastic container while marking, but it is not a requirement.
4. Hold her over the hive. If you accidentally drop her, you want her to fall back into the hive instead of on the grass or on your beekeeping equipment. Hold the queen over the hive the entire time you are working with her.
5. Place a small dot of paint on her thorax. Dab a small dot of paint on her thorax, right between her two front legs. Apply enough paint to make the mark visible, but don't use too much - you could make her wings or legs stick together with dried paint.
6. Cut the tips of her wings (optional). Some beekeepers prefer to trim the queen's wings, rather than highlighting her with paint, but this is optional. If you choose to do this, gently pick up your hair and trim the outer quarter of both wings with special beekeeping scissors.

Tips

• Check the hive regularly to make sure the queen is still there.
• In addition to harvesting honey, you can also try harvesting royal jelly to use as a supplement.

Warnings

• Always wear protective equipment when working with bees.
• If you are marking the queen by clipping her wings, be sure to cut only the ends. If you cut too much, the drones may think she's hurt and kill her.