As far as marking queens.
many of the people on this forum come from Africanized bee areas. Do you doubt the justification for marking queens in these areas? i believe it's the law in Florida if I'm correct. So it would be advocating breaking the law by not having marked queens.there is rhyme and reason for marking queens in some circumstances. I don't think you can paint every scenario with a broad brush.
And as far as Robo, It's in his signature line, he doesn't start every post with the Quote.Most people don't read every signature line.
Doubt the justification for marking queen in AHB areas?
No one bit. I mentioned this in the first post.
Interesting angle. So lets discuss.
For the record, I attended the conference on AHB at Penn State in 2006. I was also involved in rewriting the current Pa state apiary law, as well as the "Best Beekeeping Practices".
I have no problem with marking queens, and see benefit for especially marking them in AHB areas.
BUT.......
I also have ordered every marking pen on the market today and sold by supply stores. They come with warnings of carcinogenic material and a host of health issues. I have obtained MSDS from products and not one manufacturer will go on record as suggesting their product is approved for bee applications.
I have posted an article previous that I had published on this matter.
Bottom line is this.....Not one product is specifically made for marking bees, where you can fully obtain in writing the testing, application for bees or anything else to warrant justification for marking bees with their product.
And I do not buy into the whole....I mark queens and I do not have a problem. They marketed many products to be used by beekeepers over the years, and they all come back later with devastating impacts on queen health and colony health.
I have seen everything from testor paint, nail polish, to modeling super glue applied to queens backs. I challenge ANYONE to paint an 18 inch disk on your back with these same products and see how long you walk around until some irritating rash develops.
And that old "I use water based nontoxic" products. Means NOTHING!
WD-40.....kills bees. Safe and approved hairspray.....kills bees. My kids "water based nontoxic" hair shampoo....kills bees. Just because a product says safe, only cooresponds to the product application and test as per instructed on the label.
My gripe with marking queens is that over the years, we have been sold this bill of good by the bee industry that marking queens is a good thing. Yet to this day, not one product has ever been fully tested, approved or made for marking queens.
So when the state decided to start talking about mandatory marking queens if AHB ever arrived, I started asking questions about the very products they want me to slap on the back of my queens. And what I found was not reassuring to say the least.
I think many people want to keep chemicals out of their hives. Yet, we as an industry seemingly go along with the idea of marking queens, although no product has been tested safe.
So when someone suggest marking queens, and the products being sold by the supply houses contain such ingredients as cyanide, I am not bashful about attempts in killing the idea that beekeepers should daily, be forced fed the idea that marking queens is a good thing.
If we are to be forced to mark queens, or follow industry leaders and supply companies, who suggest marking queens is good regardless of the reasoning.....we should at least demand tested, safe, and approved products to do so.
Until then, I see no reason good enough to offset the potential damage you cause the queen by using the products we have been sold up till this point.