Queen Rearing

Be patient - more queen rearing tips will come later.

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Finding the Queen (frame by frame method)

Tips:

choose good weather (army is out in the fields)
do not use smoke (only if necessary)
queen will be likely on the frame with open brood
remove one frame on the side and put it aside
remove the next frame
quickly look into the hive - queen may be running on the side of the box or she may be spotted on the top of the comb which has been just uncovered
examine the frame - queen is most often spotted by her way of walking
return the frame
remove the next frame
...

Marking the Queen

Paint examples:

- Acetone (nail polish): good, wet paint offensive to attendant bees (!return the queen carefully)
- Acrylic craft paint
- Shellac + pigment

Color systems:

International (according to Laidlaw)	Year	Some countries
Blue (year ending 0 or 5)	2000	White (for leap year)
White or grey	2001	Red
Yellow	2002	Blue
Red	2003	Yellow
Green	2004	White
-	for any unknown year	Green

Tips:

a blob of paint may be put on top of the left hand using it as a palette
catch the queen by pinning it down to the comb - get the thorax between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand
to adjust the position of the thorax between the fingers of the left hand - grab the wings between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand and lift the queen
achieve good control in making the color mark (on the dorsal side of the thorax) using the edge of the end of the match dipped in paint
practice on drones first, then on workers
if you cannot handle it using fingers, obtain queen catching glass pipe and marking net.

L'élevage des reines

Encore un peu de patience - nous vous donnerons des inforamtions à ce sujet bientôt.

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