queen marking frustrations

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Joined
May 29, 2018
Messages
1,635
Reaction score
303
Location
East Sussex
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
9.5
i have a colony which is doing great and requeened mid June.

new Q has been doing great but proved very elusive (double bb) and finally, found her yesterday...only for her to fall off the frame as i gently tried to rest it to pick her up for marking...

this hive, on a pallet and went under and i saw her walk off

decided to leave her and to see if she can get back in so wish me luck

crown of thorns or a sheet across to lay frame on may have both reduced risk of this

chances of her being led back in?
 
A few years ago I was combining a Q+ and Q- hive together. I was setting it up for Q+ hive on top, but as I was setting it up I saw the queen fly off, I then changed it to Q+ underneath and on next inspection the queen was back in the hive.
 
A few years ago I was combining a Q+ and Q- hive together. I was setting it up for Q+ hive on top, but as I was setting it up I saw the queen fly off, I then changed it to Q+ underneath and on next inspection the queen was back in the hive.

i have had it happen twice before...once was completely my fault as i shook the q out of a marking tube and she hit the frames and flew straight off....she was back within the hour

second time similar
 
i have a colony which is doing great and requeened mid June.

new Q has been doing great but proved very elusive (double bb) and finally, found her yesterday...only for her to fall off the frame as i gently tried to rest it to pick her up for marking...

this hive, on a pallet and went under and i saw her walk off

decided to leave her and to see if she can get back in so wish me luck

crown of thorns or a sheet across to lay frame on may have both reduced risk of this

chances of her being led back in?
I had one unexpectedly leave a brood frame rested against the hive once. I didn't see her leave but found her absent when I went to put the frame back in. I searched exhaustively for her and had all but given up before finally seeing her queenlike silhouette , all alone and right under the middle of the pallet in the darkest place. Rescued on the end of a stick and added back in.
Another time I had a youngish one take off during an inspection. I only found where she was when I heard her "screams" after she landed at the entrance of the hive next door and was violently set upon.
 
Check under the OMF if the hive has one, in case she ends up there - there'll be a cluster around her if so

yup....it was not a great spot to look under the pallet....surrounded by bramble...it was a colony i agreed to take and therefore had no space for in apiray but now re-queened is v good...i will leave and go back to check
 
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