Glossary
The practice of applying a small dot of colored paint to the thorax (upper back) of a queen bee for identification purposes. Queen marking allows beekeepers to quickly locate the queen during inspections, verify her identity (confirming she has not been superseded), and track her age using an international color code system.
An international system assigns a specific wing color to each year ending: White for years ending in 1 or 6, Yellow for years ending in 2 or 7, Red for years ending in 3 or 8, Green for years ending in 4 or 9, and Blue for years ending in 5 or 0. The mnemonic 'Will You Raise Good Bees' helps remember the order.
In 2026 (ending in 6), queens are marked white. This color coding allows beekeepers to immediately determine a queen's age during inspection. Finding a queen with a different color mark than expected reveals that the colony has superseded (replaced) its queen.
Gently capture the queen using a queen marking cage or carefully pick her up by the wings or thorax (never the abdomen, which contains her reproductive organs). Using a queen marking pen, paint marker, or fine brush, apply a small dot of the appropriate color to the center of her thorax.
Allow the paint to dry for 30 seconds before releasing the queen back onto the frame she was found on. Practice with drones first, as they are larger, more plentiful, and cannot sting. Marking takes confidence and a steady hand, but becomes routine with practice.
No. Properly applied, the paint dot is small and dries quickly. The queen resumes normal activity within minutes. The primary risk is injury from rough handling during capture, not from the paint itself. Use water-based, non-toxic queen marking paint designed for the purpose.
Occasionally, if the queen is handled too roughly or if foreign odors (strong paint fumes, beekeeper's scent) are transferred during marking. Minimize handling time, use odor-free marking paints, and release the queen gently back onto the brood frame to reduce rejection risk.
Some beekeepers use the one-hand press-and-mark technique, gently pressing the queen against the comb with one thumb while dotting her thorax with a marker in the other hand. This advanced technique takes practice but avoids the stress of full capture.
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