Queen marking discs, 5 colours + glue, Germany

Opalith queen marking discs, 5 colours x 50 discs + glue, Germany.

Beekeepers often face the problem of finding the queen bee in the hive. Marking queen bees makes this process much easier. A marked queen bee is immediately visible, so the beekeeper can find her in just a few seconds to a few minutes.

In beekeeping, it is very important to keep track of the queen bee’s age and breeding qualities. To distinguish queen bees in the apiary, beekeepers use markers of different colours. One of the best modern marking methods is to glue on an opalith disc. This type of marker adheres securely to the queen bee, has virtually no weight and is not noticeable to the queen herself. According to international standards, queen bees are marked with colours corresponding to the year of the queen bee’s birth.

To apply an opalith disc, use the tip of a toothpick to place a small amount of special glue on the thorax of the queen bee. The disc should be positioned in the centre or slightly towards the rear, so it does not prevent the queen bee from inspecting cells in the comb. Place the disc onto the glue on the queen bee (a match can be used). It is advisable to release the queen bee back into the hive after 3-5 minutes, once the glue has dried slightly. When bees detect a foreign object (the marker) on the queen bee, they try to remove it. If the queen bee is released into the hive immediately after marking, the bees may unstick the disc.

Manufacturer: Germany