Creating Your First Queen
The queen is the heart of every colony. CombCensus helps you track her lineage, age, markings, and performance with detailed records! 👑
👑 Before You Start
To register a queen, you'll need:
- ✓ A hive where this queen resides (Create one first)
- ✓ Basic information about the queen (age, markings, source)
- ✓ Knowledge of queen colour coding
🎨 Queen Marking Colour Reference
Queens are marked with specific colours based on the year they were born:
Navigate to Your Hive
Go to the hive page where you want to register the queen and look for the queen section.
Screenshot: Your hive page showing the queen section
Click "Create Queen"
Look for the queen management section and click the button to add a new queen.
Fill in Queen Details
Complete the queen registration form with all available information.
Screenshot: The queen registration form - capturing essential breeding information
📋 Queen Information Fields
Basic Information:
- • Name/ID: Optional identifier
- • Date of Birth: Or estimated age
- • Marking Colour: Based on birth year
- • Marked: Yes/No checkbox
Status & Origin:
- • Status: Alive, dead
- • Mated: Successfully mated status
- • Source: Raised, purchased, caught swarm
Advanced Features (Optional)
CombCensus offers advanced queen tracking features for serious breeders.
👑 Advanced Queen Features
Genetics & Lineage:
- • Mother queen reference
- • Breeding programme notes
Performance Tracking:
- • Temperament scores
- • Productivity ratings
- • Disease resistance
Save Your Queen Record
Click "Finish" to save the record and return to your hive page.
🎉 Excellent! Your queen is now registered and linked to this hive. You'll see her details on the hive page and can track her performance over time.
💡 Queen Management Tips
Record Keeping
- ✓ Always record the queen's age - this affects colony behaviour
- ✓ Note her marking status - helps with field identification
- ✓ Keep track of her source for genetic diversity
Using the Data
- ✓ Use queen age to predict supersedure timing
- ✓ Track lineage for breeding decisions
- ✓ Monitor performance across different queen lines
📝 What's Next?
With your apiary, hive, and queen all set up, you're ready to start the real magic - logging inspections! This is where you'll record your observations and build a complete history of your colony's development.