What did I see?

[sandysman]

Yesterday whilst doing some work around my apiary I saw a small cluster of bees on the floor, about a large mug full I would guess. I smoked them and as the bees flew off back to the hive I found a virgin queen on the floor. Sadly I lost her again in the long grass.
This hive was one which had two queen cells hatch out last week and I wondered if it was the weaker of the two which had been expelled and was being balled.
Any ideas what it was that I saw?
Andy

 

[beeno]

Hi sandysman,
Thanks for posting. It has been a lot of mysteries of that kind assuming that there was a virgin in there and now we know!

 

[sandysman]

Beeno, not sure what you mean.
Andy

 

[beeno]

Lots of little clusters hanging about near hives and do they or do they not contain virgins?

 

[sandysman]

Mine certainly did but I lost her!
Andy