I marked 3 queens 3 days ago.
I would see the queen on a frame, carry the frame over to my table to sit and then catch her on the comb with left hand and mark with right hand. Carry frame back to hive and put in place.
On the third queen...
The bees seemed anxious over the queen before I got to the table.
By the time I sat down and had the frame laid in place on the table, there was a bee very aggressive against the queen, seemed to be biting her under abdomen/thorax area. I squished the worker and marked the queen. By the time I got back to the hive, she was balled tight. I put the frame back in, just figuring she's a goner but I'd wait and see... An hour later they were still balling her. So I been thinking...
The smell of the other 2 queens on my fingers?
The smell of the other bees from other hives at the table?
Smell of other queens at the table?
The smell of the other 2 queens on the pen tip in the ink? (WOW)
At the table don't make sense, they were anxious and threatening before I got to the table.
I think it was the smell on my fingers of handling the first two queens.
Next time I'll wear blue nitril gloves and mark the queens at their hives.
Today, 3 days later, I take a peek.
What do you thing I see?
I see a happy hive with a marked laying queen.
I closed up the hive and went down the street and bought me some peaches, might make a cobbler tonight.
I would see the queen on a frame, carry the frame over to my table to sit and then catch her on the comb with left hand and mark with right hand. Carry frame back to hive and put in place.
On the third queen...
The bees seemed anxious over the queen before I got to the table.
By the time I sat down and had the frame laid in place on the table, there was a bee very aggressive against the queen, seemed to be biting her under abdomen/thorax area. I squished the worker and marked the queen. By the time I got back to the hive, she was balled tight. I put the frame back in, just figuring she's a goner but I'd wait and see... An hour later they were still balling her. So I been thinking...
The smell of the other 2 queens on my fingers?
The smell of the other bees from other hives at the table?
Smell of other queens at the table?
The smell of the other 2 queens on the pen tip in the ink? (WOW)
At the table don't make sense, they were anxious and threatening before I got to the table.
I think it was the smell on my fingers of handling the first two queens.
Next time I'll wear blue nitril gloves and mark the queens at their hives.
Today, 3 days later, I take a peek.
What do you thing I see?
I see a happy hive with a marked laying queen.
I closed up the hive and went down the street and bought me some peaches, might make a cobbler tonight.
