6 Best Queen Bee Marking Pens For Under 50 That Simplify Hive Checks

You’ve got the hive open, smoke drifting lazily, and you’re on your third pass through the second deep box. Every frame is a writhing carpet of bees, but the one you need to see—the queen—is nowhere to be found. A quick five-minute check has just turned into a stressful 20-minute hunt, and the colony is getting agitated.

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Why Marking Your Queen Bee is a Game-Changer

Finding your queen quickly is the single biggest thing you can do to make hive inspections more efficient and less disruptive. A marked queen stands out immediately, turning a frantic search into a simple glance. This means less time with the hive open, which reduces stress on the bees and lowers the risk of chilling the brood.

Marking isn’t just about speed; it’s about information. A colored dot on her thorax tells you if your original queen is still present or if the colony has quietly superseded her. If you see an unmarked queen, you know an event has occurred, prompting you to assess the hive’s health and vigor. It transforms a simple inspection into a powerful diagnostic tool.

Many new beekeepers worry about hurting the queen. It’s a valid concern, but with the right pen and a steady hand, the process is safe and straightforward. The key is to use a non-toxic, water-based or quick-drying paint pen and to apply a gentle, quick dot to the top of her thorax—never her head or abdomen.

Uni Posca PC-1MR: The Beekeepers’ Top Choice

There’s a reason you see Posca pens in so many beekeepers’ toolkits. These water-based paint markers are non-toxic, odorless, and deliver a vibrant, opaque dot of color with very little pressure. The fine 0.7mm tip gives you excellent control, allowing for a precise mark without making a mess.

The real advantage of the Posca is its reliability. The valve-action tip ensures the paint flows smoothly when you need it, but it doesn’t blob or run. This is crucial when you’re holding a multi-thousand-dollar queen in your fingers. The paint dries quickly and adheres exceptionally well to the queen’s body, meaning the mark will last her entire life.

While a single Posca pen might cost a bit more than other options, its performance and safety make it a worthwhile investment. You’re not just buying a pen; you’re buying peace of mind. For a tool you’ll use for such a critical task, this is the one to beat.

Mann Lake Queen Marking Pen: A Reliable Classic

When you buy from a dedicated beekeeping supplier like Mann Lake, you know the product has been designed for one purpose. These pens are formulated specifically to be bee-safe, removing any guesswork about harsh solvents or toxic ingredients. They are the definition of a purpose-built tool.

The Mann Lake pen is a workhorse. It’s built to be durable and live in a bee bag that gets tossed around in the back of a truck. The valve-action tip is easy to prime and provides a consistent, solid dot of paint that shows up clearly against the queen’s dark thorax.

This is a great choice for beekeepers who prefer to stick with equipment from trusted industry brands. It does exactly what it’s supposed to do, year after year, without any fuss. It’s a classic for a reason.

Sharpie Oil-Based Pen: A Versatile Option

You can find an oil-based Sharpie in almost any hardware or craft store, making it the most accessible option on this list. The paint is incredibly durable and won’t wear off, providing a mark that truly lasts. For beekeepers who already have one on hand, it can certainly work in a pinch.

However, there’s a significant tradeoff: the smell. Oil-based pens have strong fumes from their solvents. You must allow the paint to dry completely for a minute or two before reintroducing the queen, or you risk the other bees rejecting and killing her because she smells foreign.

For this reason, while a Sharpie works, it’s often not the best choice for beginners. The risk of improper drying and potential rejection is higher than with water-based options. If you do use one, be patient and ensure the mark is 100% dry to the touch before letting her go.

Sakura Pen-Touch: Fine Point for Gentle Marks

For the beekeeper with a particularly delicate touch, the Sakura Pen-Touch is an excellent choice. These pens often come with an extra-fine point (around 0.7mm), which is perfect for applying a very small, precise dot. This is ideal if you’re nervous about covering too much of the queen’s thorax.

The archival-quality paint is chemically stable, waterproof, and fade-resistant. It flows smoothly and dries quickly, minimizing the time you need to hold the queen. A smaller, neater mark is also less likely to be viewed as a defect by the other bees, further reducing any small risk of rejection.

Think of the Sakura as the precision instrument of the marking world. If your main priority is a tiny, neat, and gentle mark, this pen offers the control you need to place a dot with confidence.

Dadant & Sons Queen Pen: Trusted by Generations

Like Mann Lake, Dadant & Sons is a pillar of the beekeeping supply world. Their queen marking pens are backed by decades of industry experience and are formulated to be completely safe for bees. Buying a Dadant pen means you’re getting a product that has been vetted by generations of beekeepers.

These pens are straightforward and effective. The paint is bright, the flow is consistent, and the mark is durable. There are no frills here, just a reliable tool that does its job perfectly. It’s the kind of pen you can trust without a second thought.

Choosing a Dadant pen is about more than just the product; it’s about trusting the expertise of a company that has supported beekeepers for over 150 years. It’s a solid, safe, and dependable choice for any apiary.

Flysea Acrylic Pens: The Best Value Multi-Pack

If you’re looking to get all the international marking colors without buying five separate pens, a multi-pack of acrylic paint pens like those from Flysea is the best value. For the price of one or two premium pens, you can get a full set, preparing you for any year. These are typically water-based and non-toxic, making them a safe choice.

The primary tradeoff here is sometimes consistency. While generally reliable, the quality control on budget multi-packs might not be as rigorous as on a single premium pen. It’s always a good idea to test the pen on your glove or a piece of wood first to ensure the paint is flowing well before you try to mark your queen.

This is the perfect option for a new beekeeper building their first toolkit or for someone managing several hives who wants all the colors on hand. It’s a practical, affordable way to be fully equipped for queen management.

Using the International Queen Color Code System

Marking your queen is useful, but using the right color makes that mark a powerful data point. Beekeepers around the world use a standardized color code to identify the year a queen was hatched. This allows you to know her age at a single glance, which is vital for hive management.

The system is a five-year rotation based on the last digit of the year. It’s easy to remember once you get the hang of it. The sequence is alphabetical by color after the first two: White, Yellow, Red, Green, Blue.

• Years ending in 1 or 6: White
• Years ending in 2 or 7: Yellow
• Years ending in 3 or 8: Red
• Years ending in 4 or 9: Green
• Years ending in 5 or 0: Blue

Knowing a queen’s age helps you anticipate her performance. A queen is typically most productive in her second and third years. Seeing a three-year-old queen (e.g., a red dot in 2021) tells you it might be time to plan for requeening before her egg-laying declines and the colony’s population suffers. It’s a simple practice that elevates your beekeeping from reactive to proactive.

A good marking pen is one of the cheapest, most effective tools you can own, transforming stressful hive inspections into quick, informative checks. By choosing the right pen and using the color code, you’re not just finding your queen faster—you’re making smarter decisions for the long-term health of your hive.