6pcs Queen Bee Catcher/Cage Set, 1x Queen Bee Marker,1x Marking Bottle, 1x Beehive Entrance Gate, 1x Bee Breeding Platform,2X Marking Clips, Beekeeping Tools

Just used it for the first time. Worked perfectly. I don't know why anyone would pay more for the same one from a different supplier, maybe in a different color.There is a small knob attached to the slide on the side, once you have the queen in, you gently slide it up to push her towards the grates at the top. The grates are the same width as a queen excluder so any workers that you scooped up with her can get out but the queen can not. Pause just before the foam plunger is all the way up, wait until she positions herself parallel to the slots with her thorax exposed between and gently push to the top, trapping her in place. The slider mechanism is built so that if she's between the grates it stops positively so you can't crush her but you have to move slowly anyway and only very gentle movement is required- take off your gloves. Make sure her wings aren't caught. She'll be held with her thorax and part of her abdomen sticking slightly through the slot, now you can easily mark her with paint. I left her in that position for 3-4 minutes so the paint could set, then pulled the plunger back, left the gate closed and set it on top of the frames, immediately a lot of workers went through the slots to join her. Left them a few more minutes to be sure the paint was completely dry and smudge proof, then gently pulled the gate open, set it upside down between frames and the queen walked out and down onto the frame, now well marked. Easy.Anyway, if you're somehow hesitant to buy this one instead of the far more expensive one at the beekeeping supply, don't be. It's the same.

Great for the price. Needs a little modifying to allow for the base to push up far enough to hold the queen in place. Minor trimming with a knife and it works great.

I love the product really useful seems huge but is easily handled. My foam was not tall enough to hold my virgin queens down . I noticed a small rigde inside to limit the plunger from going up higher . I gently carved it out with my knife both sides , put it back together and it will now hold the queen steady and still not hurt her . 🐝🙂

I really like this style of queen catcher. It works great for marking queens, but also just for catching them. I have found that it makes it easier for getting them into the plastic queen cages, too. I catch the queen (be very careful when closing the sliding door so you don't injure the queen's legs). I open a queen cage at the middle hinge and put it over the part of the queen catcher where the sliding door opens. I slowly open the sliding door just enough so the queen can crawl into the queen cage. I use the plunger to force her towards the opening and she will crawl into the queen cage, often with a couple of attendant workers.

A fraction of the cost than the similar ones sold by honey bee equipment suppliers and comparable in quality. The pushing mechanism can stick a bit but other than that it’s a solid queen catcher. Makes it easy to mark your queens without hurting them.