At its core, the international queen marking system is a simple, five-year color cycle used by beekeepers to identify the year a queen bee was born. The code follows a consistent pattern: White for years ending in 1 or 6, Yellow for 2 or 7, Red for 3 or 8, Green for 4 or 9, and Blue for 5 or 0. This system is easily remembered with the mnemonic "Will You Raise Good Bees."
This color code is more than a date stamp. It is a critical management tool that allows a beekeeper to assess the queen's age—and therefore her likely productivity and the hive's health—in a single glance.
Why Queen Age Is a Critical Metric
Understanding a queen's age is fundamental to proactive hive management. An aging queen directly impacts the colony's strength, stability, and survival.
The Peak of Productivity
A queen bee's primary function is to lay eggs, sometimes up to 2,000 per day. Her peak egg-laying capacity occurs in her first and second years.
As a queen ages, her rate of laying declines. This results in a smaller workforce, reduced honey production, and a colony less capable of surviving a harsh winter.
Declining Pheromone Production
The queen produces powerful pheromones that serve as the "social glue" of the hive, signaling her presence and suppressing the development of other laying workers.
An older queen's pheromone output can weaken. This can lead to hive instability, poor morale, and an increased likelihood that the workers will try to supersede (replace) her.
The Goal: Predictable Performance
By knowing the queen's age, a beekeeper can anticipate these age-related declines. It allows them to replace an aging queen before her performance drops, ensuring the colony remains strong and productive.
How the 5-Year Cycle Works in Practice
The system's elegance is in its simplicity. With only five colors, a beekeeper can track age with no ambiguity.
The Mnemonic: Will You Raise Good Bees?
This phrase is the key to remembering the order of the colors.
- Will = White
- You = Yellow
- Raise = Red
- Good = Green
- Bees = Blue
Assigning the Color to the Year
The color corresponds to the last digit of the year the queen was hatched and mated.
- Year ends in 1 or 6: White
- Year ends in 2 or 7: Yellow
- Year ends in 3 or 8: Red
- Year ends in 4 or 9: Green
- Year ends in 5 or 0: Blue
For example, a queen born in 2023 would be marked Red. A queen from 2024 would be Green.
Why Only Five Colors?
A queen bee's productive lifespan is typically two to three years. It is rare for a commercial beekeeper to keep a queen for more than four years.
Because a queen from 2021 (White) will be long gone by 2026 (the next White year), there is no risk of confusing their ages. The five-year cycle is more than sufficient.
Common Pitfalls and Practical Realities
While the color code is a standard, its application in the field has nuances that every beekeeper should understand.
The Challenge of Marking
Catching and marking a queen is a delicate operation. It requires a steady hand and a calm demeanor to apply a small dot of non-toxic paint to her thorax without harming her.
Unmarked Queens Are Common
Not all beekeepers mark their queens. This is especially true for hobbyists who catch wild swarms or allow their colonies to raise their own queens. Finding an unmarked queen simply means her age is unknown.
Color Visibility and Fading
Over time, the paint dot can fade or be rubbed off by other bees. Furthermore, some colors are harder to spot than others; a yellow mark can be difficult to distinguish from pollen on a bee's back.
How to Apply This to Your Beekeeping
Knowing the color code empowers you to make better, faster decisions for your colonies.
- If you are buying a new queen or nuc: Use the color to verify her age and ensure you are receiving a young, productive queen as advertised.
- If you are inspecting a hive: The color provides an immediate data point. If a hive is struggling, seeing an older color (e.g., Red in a year ending in 6) suggests queen age is the likely culprit.
- If you are deciding when to requeen: A queen entering her third season is a prime candidate for proactive replacement to prevent a sudden population drop or an unexpected swarm.
Ultimately, this simple color code is one of the most powerful tools a beekeeper has for proactive, data-driven hive management.
Summary Table:
| Color | Year Ending In | Mnemonic (Will You Raise Good Bees) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1 or 6 | Will |
| Yellow | 2 or 7 | You |
| Red | 3 or 8 | Raise |
| Green | 4 or 9 | Good |
| Blue | 5 or 0 | Bees |
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