I have a few hives that I started with swarms. Right now, the queens are
very productive. However, I'd like to mark them, if and when I see them,
so that I can easily find them this fall when I plan to requeen.
My question is: Can I remove the queen, cage and mark her, then reintroduce
her to the same colony in a cage with a candy plug? What time of day
should I introduce her? How long should I leave her out before I
reintroduce her? The hives are in my backyard, so travel time is not a
consideration.
Thank you
Steve Newcomb