Puzzled about the queen

[Dave Warren]

This afternoon I was watching my bees, the foragers were coming in and out in droves, then, there was a larger bee flying around and landed it sure looked like a queen, then she took off flight again for around 2 minutes, then returned to the hive. She walked right into the entrance, I stood there for about 5 minutes, no big deal, so I thought well looks like I have a new queen.
I havn't made a brood inspection for about 3 weeks, and now it looks like the fall flow has started, so I don't want to disturb the hive.
Tonight I went out to the hive and there is light bearding on the bottom outside section of the hive.
I have never seen this many bees congregate outside of the hive.
We just had thunderstorms in the area, but not at my house, close!

Here we go!

Should I worry about the bees and the queen skipping out on their nice home?
Should I just wait and see tomorrow and maybe do an inspection of the brood box?
I removed the cover,and their is plenty of honey being stored!

[DamSutt1986]

Maybe a new queen on her mating flight? You could check tomorrow and see if there are eggs. If there are no eggs now, and eggs in a week, then that might be the case.

[Dave Warren]

This morning, they seem back to normal, except for the 4 dead bees at the entrance, who drowned early this morning in a thunderstorm!
First real rain in 9 weeks!

[Dave Warren]

I'll do an inspection in a week or 10 days from now to see If I have any new eggs!
I really don't want to do an inspection right now, the forgers are on a flow run!

[indypartridge]

I havn't made a brood inspection for about 3 weeks...

I'll do an inspection in a week or 10 days from now...

If you want to know what's going on in the colony, you need to inspect. We can all make guesses, but the answers are in the box. One thing you should not worry about is that inspecting will interfere with them too much - they'll be fine!

[ralittlefield]

Is it possible that the larger bee was a drone?

[Dave Warren]

Was bee watching again yesterday, and again the large queen came back into the hive, when I inspected the other day, couldn't find her! so this is the second time in 6 days I've seen here flying around outside the hive!
Heck, when I was watching she sounded like an old B-29! as she made her approach to the hive!

[brendantm130]

Sounds like a drone.

[GLOCK]

Since you said she sounded like an old B-29 i'm going with brendantm130 sounds like a drone thats how alot of my drones sound going in my hives.

[Dave Warren]

Well Well, you guys were right, this morning there was a dead drone outside the hive, then I saw another girl, taking out a dead drone, I picked them up, sure nuff, their drones!
I thought drones were killed off later in the fall?

[GLOCK]

I still have drones flying and some cells but the time is coming when they give the drones the boot!