Queen Marking Cage with Plunger
Spring-plunger marking cage. Gently pins the queen for safe marking without injury.
- Spring-plunger gently presses queen against soft mesh — no hand holding needed
- Mark through mesh opening with standard queen marking pen
- Safe for the queen — soft foam or mesh contact surface
What it is
A queen marking cage with a spring-loaded plunger — a clear plastic chamber you press over the queen on a frame, and the plunger gently pushes her against the mesh top so you can mark her thorax without her walking or flying away.
How it works
Press the cage over the queen, push the plunger down until she's held lightly against the mesh, apply a dot of paint with a marking pen through the mesh opening, wait a few seconds for the paint to set, release the plunger, lift the cage, and the queen walks back into the colony marked.
Usage notes
Work fast — a queen held for more than 30 seconds stresses, and stressed queens can be balled on release. Find her first, mark her second, release third. The paint needs to be dry before release; otherwise, workers smell the solvent and can reject her.
Compatibility
Works for any queen. Pairs with queen marking pens — white for 2026 per the international queen color code.
