We all have long been used to painting queens on the thorax.   I was
observing some of Seeley's experimental nucs and noted he was painting
workers on the upper abdomen.  Sometimes instead of the thorax, sometimes
the same color as the thorax, and sometimes a different color than the
thorax.

Someone
 explained that it is often a lot easier to see the abdomen than the thorax
(I'll second that), it doesn't harm the bee, and the ability to use one
color on the thorax and another on the abdomen makes a lot more color
combinations possible.  I guess this is especially useful in experiments
involving drifting or robbing.

While I initially thought it would be dangerous to mark the queen on the
abdomen, because one might squeeze by mistake, it occurred to me that it is
also dangerous to mark a worker there...as one might be more likely to get
stung!
Lloyd
Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb
Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps
and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels.

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