Every year, beekeepers worldwide get their paint pens out to mark their newly-mated Queens. The year dictates the color we use. Since this year ends in a three, we paint our Queen’s thoraxes red! But why do this at all?

The Queen Bee is an alluring, indefatigable, non-monogamous creature.

When she takes her mating flights in Spring, her goal is to seek out genetic diversity to ensure her colony’s survival.