Queen Went Limp, Seemed Dead, After Marking Her Thorax

[riverbee]

the images cannot be enlarged because post image is down..........

thanks jen for your reply.

tec will jen..........

[Jen]

Okee Doke Riv, and to answer one of your questions, the first queen that went limp did discharge a clear fluid from her abdomen. Now, I'm afraid of what your answer may be 

[Green bee]

Jen I did a little research on this issue. It seems that this happens often when marking queens, most of the time the Beekeepers say they hold her by the abdomen when this happens. Most of the Beekeepers say it's from squeezing a little to hard and they also report the clear liquid as you did. All of them say the queen goes on and does just fine, at least I didn't read about any queens dying. I just googled it and found info on other forums...hope this helps.

[Jen]

Thanks Gbee, you da Man!    The thing is, we were very careful about her abdomen... But I was teaching as well, and my friend was trying so hard to learn, it was a bit of rascally event. That's why I thought that queen may have a fainting propensity.

This is a very interesting thread, to say the least! As I'm moving more into the scientific world of bees, I find the members of this forum to be so giving with their time when we are scratching our heads with questions.

[Green bee]

It's funny Jen when I first read the thread I thought you might be a little whacky but like Perry said sure enough your not the first beek this has happened to. I like you would love to know the real reason it happens , but it does happen. The most I found on it was other opinions and experiences. But there has to be a logical explanation. Who knows maybe some honey bees has some possum genetics.

  It is a nice thread one thing for sure I want be forgetting this little issue with bees

[Jen]

Hey Gbee, I have the perfect solution for you    Don't ever handle your queens lol such a delicate operation for sure.

I practiced a lot last year and found that I really enjoy stepping out in the early evenings in the warm balmy air, checking on a nuc and very quietly and patiently giving queen a pretty pink bonnet to wear. So sacred to hold a queen in your hands.

[Green bee]

I have a queen now I'd like to mark but not sure if I want to yet. I think if I do I'll try the queen marking cage. For now I think I am gonna let her be with my limited experience. I like your idea of practicing on drones.

[Jen]

Fat Bee Man's vid is how I got my courage last year to start marking. However, I still do it a little differently.

I use Posca paint pens. They are odorless and dry in about 5 minutes. This package here with the medium tips.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IGY28M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have looked at several contraptions to hold the queen for marking, but read somewhere they are time consuming and some actually press down on the queen... or something or other... I would like to know more about these devices tho.

Practicing on drones is fun. With my friend the other day, she picked bright pink to mark all the drones, then all the queens got a bright yellow. By the time we got to the third hive, we spotted bright pink drones all over the place. It was funny

[riverbee]

"Okee Doke Riv, and to answer one of your questions, the first queen that went limp did discharge a clear fluid from her abdomen. Now, I'm afraid of what your answer may be  "

lol, no worries jen, it happens..........curious, was it the second and third queen you marked? (that discharged a clear fluid), or just the 2nd queen, or just the 3rd queen, or both?

[Jen]

Only the second