Oh my.
I thought my hive had no queen since I saw no eggs or larva and only had spotty covered drone comb (laying workers ?).
So I decided I would do the "dump the hive far away and have the bees get back to the hive by drifting" method". I stole the pollen, honey and eggs/larva from another hive so they would raise a queen.
I went back to look at the pile of laying workers about 8 hrs. later and felt bad for them, probably about 50. But who did I see in the pile ?????? THE QUEEN, since she was marked !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...major screw-up on my part.
I scooped her up in a paper cup and was walking over to put her back in the hive when she FLEW AWAY !!!!!!!!!!! I looked on the ground nearby and could not find her.
After examining the frozen drone comb later, there were indeed eggs and early larva ! I am such an idiot.
I will consider this a learning thing, but I feel terrible about the queen.
I think the drone comb I saw was from the queen before this one, who died early on (I think I squished her accidentally).
Oh my. Anyways, the dumping of the hive and hoping everyone but the laying workers gets back, works.
Now, why would taht work if there was indeed a queen. What is this pile of bees doing if there was a queen and theya re not laying workers ?
Nancy
