Queen just flew off - not sure if she returned

[Eddie_H]

Was closing up hive when noticed Queen along the top of frames, then she suddenly just flew off....

Kept an eye on hive for a while afterwards. She returned around the entrance 5 or 6 times. There were a few bees following her along front of hive. I wasn’t sure if they were trying to get her back inside, or chasing her away. I tried to get her back inside too with the brush but to no avail..

So I don’t know if she returned or not. Up to an hour later, hive entrance seems normal enough. I read that if Queen is gone, they wander aimlessly up the front in numbers??

Why would she just up and go like that? I didn’t see any aggression towards her during inspection..


(PS. This Queen seems to be a drone layer anyway, and was to squish her and unite with a nuc anyway. Might that have been why she flew off?)

 

[Erichalfbee]

Why would she just up and go like that? I didn’t see any aggression towards her during inspection..


(PS. This Queen seems to be a drone layer anyway, and was to squish her and unite with a nuc anyway. Might that have been why she flew off?)

That made me smile
She knew you were going to murder her?

Yes queens do fly off
They invariably return

 

[Swarm]

That made me smile

Me too.

 

[Eddie_H]

Yes, she probably knew my plan!!

Chances are she’s back home then?


PS. Has anyone witnessed this happening?

 

[Poly Hive]

Yes, a couple of times in my earlier days when still clumsy. The trick is not to go but stay by the hive as the main marker she saw whe she took off was YOU.

PH

 

[beeno]

Yes. They did not let her back in. She tried the hive next door and they would not let her in there either which was understandable as they already had a queen. The nuc, however, made themselves queenless and absconded.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, she probably knew my plan!!

Chances are she’s back home then?


PS. Has anyone witnessed this happening?

Once to me.
She was back in at next inspection

We had a queen fly off but husband caught her in mid air

There was a video somewhere of a chap taking an expensive queen out of a travel cage to put her in a push in only to see her fly off. I bet he was really p*********

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes. They did not let her back in. She tried the hive next door and they would not let her in there either which was understandable as they already had a queen. The nuc, however, made themselves queenless and absconded.

Why didn’t you catch her as she tried to get in and put her back where she belonged?

 

[Antipodes]

Hi Eddie,

Are you certain she wasn't a virgin or young replacement queen the colony has made themselves? Usually the younger queens are much more flighty from my experience.

If she was the old queen, I reckon she made it back inside the hive no problem.

 

[SDM]

There was a video somewhere of a chap taking an expensive queen out of a travel cage to put her in a push in only to see her fly off. I bet he was really p*********

I had two do that to me last week. Bloody annoying with queens I've raised. I'd be gutted if I'd paid for them.

 

[beeno]

Why didn’t you catch her as she tried to get in and put her back where she belonged?

Happened too quickly and I did expect them to let their own laying queen back in!

 

[Eddie_H]

Hi Eddie,

Are you certain she wasn't a virgin or young replacement queen the colony has made themselves? Usually the younger queens are much more flighty from my experience.

If she was the old queen, I reckon she made it back inside the hive no problem.

She was laying.. I’m presuming she was poorly mated.

She did return though. I spotted her earlier..,

I had to squish her though , as I united my nuc with the hive. Hopefully it goes well..