Queenspotting 101
Can you spot the queen?
Finding the queen bee can be challenging, especially for new beekeepers, but it’s an important part of beekeeping. Here’s some tips to help you find her.
1. Know Her Unique Appearance
The queen is distinct in both size and shape. She’s longer than the worker bees, with a larger abdomen that tapers to a point. Her abdomen often extends beyond her wings, and she has a shiny, hairless thorax compared to the fuzzier worker bees. Sometimes her coloring can be slightly different, with some queens appearing darker or more golden than others, though this varies greatly depending on what race of honey bee you have.
A queen bee getting ready to deposit an egg into a cell.
2. Look for a Retinue
Queens are typically surrounded by a retinue of worker bees. These bees tend to move with her, feeding and grooming her. Spotting this group of bees clustered in a circle around a single bee can be a very helpful indicator.
A queen with her retinue of worker bees. See how shiny her thorax is compared to the workers?
3. Check the Brood Area
The queen spends most of her time in the brood chamber, laying eggs (though not all of her time! I’ve seen her on the underside of the inner cover more than once). Start your search by focusing on frames with eggs, larvae, or capped brood. If you see freshly laid eggs, the queen could be nearby.
4. Watch for Distinct Movement
The queen moves more deliberately than the worker bees. While workers often rush around the hive, the queen moves more slowly and with purpose, often making space for herself to lay eggs. Watching for slower, more purposeful movement can help you spot her.
5. Use a Marked Queen
If finding the queen is especially difficult for you, you can mark your queen is marked with a small dot of paint on her thorax (a common beekeeping practice to indicate her year). The mark will stand out among the sea of bees, saving you time and effort. It’ll also be easy to tell if your hive made a new queen.
Image courtesy of Long Island Beekeepers Cub