# Marking queens with numbers/ best glue



## Radar (Sep 4, 2006)

The only thing I have found to work is nail varnish, but unfortunately it has a smell. The way I get round that is, I cage the queen and allow the bees to release her, not a problem if you are also introducing her to a new hive. I have had queens with numbers that stayed on for 3 years, but the glue you get with the kit, I have never had one stay on, it is totaly usless


----------



## JSL (Sep 22, 2007)

Years ago I reached for the bottle of TiteBond II wood glue and have used that ever since for applying the tags. SuperGlue will work, but it is more difficult to work with and will run if too much is applied.

The glue that comes with the tags has always had a high failure rate in my experience.


----------



## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

"Years ago I reached for the bottle of TiteBond II wood glue and have used that ever since for applying the tags."

Really? Titebond II, hmm, sounds wierd but I bet it works good! How long do you wait for it to dry?

"The only thing I have found to work is nail varnish, but unfortunately it has a smell. The way I get round that is, I cage the queen and allow the bees to release her, not a problem if you are also introducing her to a new hive. I have had queens with numbers that stayed on for 3 years, but the glue you get with the kit, I have never had one stay on, it is totaly usless"

Would putting a marshmallow in be long enough for the smell to go away or should I use a sugar tube if using this method?

You would think if they wanted the product to actually be successful that they would send glue that works. I just about said to heck with it and order testers paint. Thank goodness I have real options. I will have to try titebond first.

Thanks a ton guys!


----------



## Radar (Sep 4, 2006)

It does not take long for the smell to go away, but as I have never used marshmallow I do not know if that would be long enough. If the queen is already in the hive I just use newspaper held on with an elastic band over the cage entrance. For introduction I use Queen candy, Just as a matter of interest how long does it take the bees to release a queen with marshmallow and would it be better than candy?


----------



## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

Sorry, I have never used a marshmallow. People use it when putting packages in so the queen gets released right away cause she has usually had enough time to already be excepted. I have not got a package for years. I would guess a couple to a few hours, a day tops.


----------



## NirvanaFan (Apr 17, 2012)

JSL;792937 SuperGlue will work said:


> Have you tried using the gel kind? I have zero experience with marking queens. I only use gel when gluing corals to rocks though. The regular super glue is just way too runny.


----------



## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

By they way Joe, I received four of your Aurea's a week and a half ago. They are laying very nicely and I see there were no emergency or suercedure cells built in the nucs which in my experience usually means you have well developed healthy queens. Im really looking forward to seeing how they do. I have heard nothing but good about you and your queens.


----------



## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

I just glued a white disk to my index finger tip with titebond II. I let it dry a few minutes and have been typing for about 10-15 minutes and it is holding on well. I will just see how long it hold on and report back but I am confident it works well and will start marking queens from here on out with it.

Thanks Joe.


----------



## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

I marked a very good queen yesterday and it went very well. The disc I glued to my finger held up to a lot of abuse before it fell off so I sure hope the disks will stay on for awhile.


----------



## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

Been marking with titebond for a while now, working like a charm! Thanks again JSL


----------



## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

WI-beek said:


> You would think if they wanted the product to actually be successful that they would send glue that works.


But then they would not sell as many tags if they never fall off. Good marketing strategy if you ask me.


----------



## arrowwood (Apr 11, 2012)

i have wondered if titebond 2 has a chemical makeup similar to propolis... everytime i glue up a super, the bees come to investigate

also everytime i use nail polish to mark a queen, they supercede her - i think i will start to use to use titebond and paper!


----------



## EastSideBuzz (Apr 12, 2009)

So I just mark with color. Blue mainly because my white dried up. Helps in finding her. Now why do you want to mark with a number?

I was thinking of using black light color so I can shine a black light in and then can see her easily.  Maybe with a camera underneath with a small black light on it in the dark. I just want to know she is there and has not superseded don't need her in a line up. 

"Number 3 step forward and turn to the left"


----------



## WI-beek (Jul 14, 2009)

Now why do you want to mark with a number?

For records. Colors dont tell you what queen it is, when you got it, what lineage, who the mother is, ect. Its for breeding purposes and tracking progress. If I only wanted to see find her easier, or to know if she has been supercieded, I would just use color. Numbers look cool too!

Just found a new queen in a colony the other day that should have been marked, other side of frame was my marked beauty, lol. I took new queen out, came back 10 days later, they still want another queen, lol! She is a good mama, and I will keep stealing cells until she dies. I would not have know without the mark, and would have thought it was the same queen.


----------

