In a message dated 96-10-22 09:05:25 EDT, you write: << All the queens I've bought this year, from highly reputable sources, are marked blue. Does that mean they're '95 queens? I'm surprised/confused! Tim Cote >> Tim, I would ask the breeders. But if they are indeed reputable sources they would have sould you queens in the range of say a month old. One other note many breeders use colors to mark lines, yards, and so on or they may have had paint left over from last year. We use almost 20 diffrent colors to mark lines here at hybri bees. Dean M. Breaux Hybri-Bees Breeding better bees