All tools
Queen Marking Color
Look up the international queen marking color for any year. Never forget what color to use!
Look Up Color
What year was (or will be) the queen raised?
Queen Age Calculator (Optional)
Optional - helps you remember which queen
Leave blank if you just want the color lookup
2025 Queen Marking Color
Blue
Years ending in 5 or 0
Color Reference
The Color Cycle
"Will You Raise Good Bees?"
This is a mnemonic — the first letter of each word matches the color: Will = White, You = Yellow, and so on.
White
Will
1/6, 2/7...
Yellow
You
1/6, 2/7...
Red
Raise
1/6, 2/7...
Green
Good
1/6, 2/7...
Blue
Bees?
1/6, 2/7...
White: Years ending in 1 or 6
Yellow: Years ending in 2 or 7
Red: Years ending in 3 or 8
Green: Years ending in 4 or 9
Blue: Years ending in 5 or 0
Assumptions & Notes
- The international color code helps beekeepers track queen age at a glance.
- The 5-year cycle repeats, so colors recur every 5 years.
- Mark queens on the thorax with a small dot of paint or a numbered disc.
- Most queens are productive for 2-3 years, though some last longer.
- Marking also helps confirm your queen hasn't been superseded.