escaped queen!

[sam danger]

hey everybody,
I just started my first attempt in beekeeping, and am using a top bar hive. I recieved my package bees 3 days ago, and was told to wait until today to let the queen loose ( she was in a cage with a cork stopper). I had difficulty( a little scared of all the bee's on me) with opening the cork. When I finally got it open, I sorta freaked out, and I think my queen escaped. I immediatly dropped the queen cage back into the hive, and tried to locate the bee I thought was the queen, but I lost track of it. I thought it had a little white mark on it. Anyways, how do I know if my queen is gone? Its been about 5 hours since this happened, and the bees are still just going about their business. If my queen did get out, will she go back to the hive, or will she buzz off? What kind of timeframe do I have in getting a new queen in there? I really need some help here. Thanks alot!

-Sam

[FordGuy]

Sam, are you using any protective clothing? I'd recommend a set of coveralls and a 15 dollar veil/hat combo. Once you are a little more comfortable with the bees you can go without the suit.

What I'd do is go back in two days and look for eggs. If after 4 days, you still have no eggs or larvae then I'd just order a new queen. As an alternative, you can get a frame of eggs from a fellow BK and they will make their own queen.

[sam danger]

im using coveralls and a veil, but I was having trouble with my sleeves pulling up and leaving my arms exposed. Thanks for the advice. I'll check on em in a few days, and look for eggs.

[RonS]

Sam,

Did you see her fly away, or just fall into the hive? Mine flew away and took up residence elsewhere. Happens. Looks like yours stayed with the hive. Agree with FordGuy, look for eggs in the center frames in a few days. Would not bother them for about a week or so to let all settle down and get to work.

Ron S.

[Ruben]

Sam, it happened to me last Monday, so I closed the hive up and waited 5 days til Saturday and went in for a hive inspection. I still was unable to spot my queen but there was lot of cells all with a single egg in each. Which hopefully means she is in there. I know what you feel like right now though, my queen actually flew away. I watched her go 30 feet in the air out of site, and then a few minuites later there she was setting on the outside of the package the bees were in, so I lifted the package and got her in the hive but so many bees were flying that I was not sure she stayed in there. So I would say wait 4 or 5 days and recheck. Good Luck!

[Michael Bush]

The best thing to do if the queen flies or you think she has, is stand there for ten minutes with the hive still open. Quite often she will land ON you, but often she will orient on you (the tall white object) and then, when flying back to you, smell the nasonov from the bees in the hive and go back to the hive.

>If my queen did get out, will she go back to the hive, or will she buzz off?

She might come back. She might not.

>What kind of timeframe do I have in getting a new queen in there?

A couple of weeks. Go back in four days or so and check for eggs (or the queen).