Queens

Description

Why We Mark Honey Bee Queens

Marking a honey bee queen does not affect the survival of a colony; a hive can thrive whether the queen is marked or not. However, marking the queen provides several important advantages for the beekeeper. A marked queen is easier to locate during inspections, but more importantly, the marking conveys valuable information about her age, performance, and lineage.

If you discover an unmarked queen in a colony that previously had a marked one, it may indicate the colony has swarmed and successfully replaced her with a new queen.

“Will You Raise Good Bees?”

White, Yellow, Red, Green, and Blue are the five standard colors used to mark queens, each representing a specific year. For example, a blue-marked queen indicates she was born in a year ending in “0” or “5.” If you observe a red-marked queen in 2026, she was born in 2023 and is now in her third year. Congratulations—you have successfully maintained a colony through three summers.

At the same time, this information can signal that the queen may soon begin to slow down, prompting the colony to consider replacement. Recognizing a queen’s age is especially valuable when you notice reduced brood production or the presence of supersedure cells. For beekeepers who raise their own queens, an older, proven queen may also be an excellent candidate for producing daughter queens.