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I noticed that the cover of June's Bee Culture magazine featured a queen that looked like an Italian worker bee. The editor's note said something about a Tiger Tail...something I have not heard of. I have been raising my own queens for three years now and just this year I have been noticing queens with similar features (distinct stripes instead of golden yellow/brown abdomens).
Has anyone seen this before? Dee, what is your take on this?
They are quite a novelty, however, they are very difficult to find.
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Jimmy,
You wrote:
I noticed that the cover of June's Bee Culture magazine featured a queen that looked like an Italian worker bee. The editor's note said something about a Tiger Tail...something I have not heard of. I have been raising my own queens for three years now and just this year I have been noticing queens with similar features (distinct stripes instead of golden yellow/brown abdomens).
Has anyone seen this before? Dee, what is your take on this?
They are quite a novelty, however, they are very difficult to find
Reply:
Tiger tails have been around for a long time, but probably not popular as todays all yellows, or all blacks or brownish queens.
Tiger tails can go from minimal dark markings with mostly yellowish colouration, to very black with brownish colouration between the tergits starting along the tergit tops.
I myself like them, but prefer the markings mostly black with brownish colouration between the tergits and slightly along the tops, with mostly just the top tergit by the thorax standing out, with brownish showing only as tergits extended.
To me they are better bees in many ways and a older type queen. Note the diamond pattern on the back of the queen! Almost reminds one of a mediterranean type queen.
Regards,
Dee A. Lusby
