Could you recognize a queen bee?

Characteristics and behaviors of queen bees

Spotting the queen bee inside a swarm isn't as difficult as you think. Recognizing the difference between a queen and a worker bee is possible through the observation of some physical characteristics but also on the basis of specific behaviors that bees carry out.

Obviously, to speed up the identification processes, beekeepers act by carrying out the marking, a procedure that we will analyze later. But now we will explain how to recognize a queen bee with ease and what are the details to pay attention to.

The appearance of a queen bee

The queen bee is the most important specimen of the hive. The survival of a bee family depends solely on its queen. Beekeepers also pay particular attention to queens as they have a vital impact on the entire colony.

Unlike other bees, queen bees develop inside royal cells which are larger and more capacious and allow the larvae to grow and develop differently. The larvae destined to become queens are also fed exclusively with royal jelly .

The appearance of a queen bee is decidedly different from that of worker bees or drones. First of all, let's first learn how to differentiate female bees from males.

Drones (or colony males) don't have a stinger. We can easily recognize a drone if we notice that the final part of its body ends in a clear, almost rectangular way.

In females, on the other hand, the final part of the body has a pointed shape and we detect the presence of a sting (a female organ only.)

With that in mind, let's move on. Now that we know how to recognize a female bee from a drone, we will have to start selecting only the females. Among these, we will find the queen bee.

The difference with other bees is mainly due to the size. Queen bees are larger specimens. Their body is longer and more slender than that of worker bees.

Another difference is also present in the sting. Although this is a difficult detail to see, when observed closely it shows that: worker bees and queen bees have completely different stings.

That of the workers is slightly curved and serrated while that of the queen is smooth and straight, ideal for laying eggs in cells and not as a defense tool.

The behaviors of other bees

The behavior of the other bees and the position inside the hive are also elements that make it very easy to identify.

Queen bees tend to be found almost always around the larvae, near the laid eggs. Queen bees never leave their "home". The only time they leave the hive is during the nuptial flight and therefore for mating.

The behavior of the swarm makes us clearly understand the presence of a queen bee. In fact, it happens to notice that the other bees dodge in a hurry and move, opening the passage. If we notice sudden movements then we know that the queen is there.

Queens are usually standing still. Bees are very industrious animals, the swarm is in constant motion. If you notice a bee motionless doing nothing, it is definitely the queen.

We know very well that the only task that falls to the ruler of the hive is to lay eggs for her entire existence. The queen has the sole task of reproduction which guarantees the replacement of bees and therefore the survival and strength of a swarm.

Recognizing the age of a queen bee with the marking

Beekeepers constantly monitor the queen bees as they are key elements of the entire colony. To simplify their identification but also to recognize their age, breeders carry out an operation called ​​ ​​marking of the queen bee .

In this phase the queen bees are taken and a small amount of paint is applied to their thorax through the tip of a special marker. Once the operation is complete, the queen will be easily distinguishable from the others and the color on her body will also indicate information about her age.

The marking takes place every year using five conventional colors: white, yellow, red, green, blue that allow us to identify the year the bee belongs to.

The colors are standardized according to a five-year functionality (example: blue: year 2020 - White: year 2021 - yellow: year 2022 and so on).

Recognizing the year in which a fertile queen was introduced into the colony is very useful for beekeepers to understand her age and predict any swarming processes that will be contained.

Buy queen bees online

Apicoltura Laterza has been involved for years in the production and sale of selected virgin and fertile queen bees of the Ligustica and Buckfast races. The possession of a specific genetic material determines its high productivity and strong resistance. We deliver our products throughout Italy and throughout Europe through express and safe shipments.

Are you interested in purchasing queen bees, cores, swarms or packs of bees? Order directly online in a few clicks. You can check the availability of our products in real time ​​by clicking here.

Do you need more information? Contact Apicoltura Laterza by accessing our page ​​Contacts.