[log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> Is there a right way to do this?  How do you hold her? What kind of paint?
> What is the risk of doing her harm?  Where do you put the paint? How much? etc

Some immobilise the queen with a marking cage, some catch her by hand
and some even mark her "on the fly"! I'm sure others can recommend a
good method (see also earlier postings).

Paints, varnishes etc whether in pen type applicators or applied by
brush, rod etc have been found by many to be unreliable as far as
quantity delivered is concerned and to cause problems due to the "smell"
ie the organic solvents. Our supply house here is, this year, selling
UNI POSCA water-based marker pens that so far have proved to give well
formed spots of consistent quantity/quality. The spot dries very quickly
and appears to have little or no smell. The durability of the marking is
as far as I'm concerned still an open question, but on all other counts
I rate UNI POSCA a winner!

Tony Morgan