While working the hives sometimes the bees fall off of the frames onto the ground. They appear to find their way back in. If the queen were to fall onto the ground, will she also find her way back in?
Thanks, Ray
This happened to me recently. I was inspecting a frame she was on and she suddenly fell. I reached down and and I carefully brought her back to the hive. It seemed like she didn't know where she was going when she was running around the ground, but maybe she would have found her way back.
I would say yes she would go back in. Each hive has it's own smell and when disrupted the bees will sit at the entrance and fan thier wings to spread the phermones. But it could go both ways, good luck.
I don't know that she actually did fall outside, but was wondering what would happen if she did as a result of my clumsiness. I am not always smooth!!!
Thanks, Ray
A couple of times, I have gone back to a hive a day later and found the queen and a small bunch of bees hanging under or on the side of a hive. Now that is not saying that a few haven't made it back in too. The ones I recall where usually on the back side of the hive away from the entrance, perhaps if she dropped new the front of the hive, she would find her way into the hive. I have also had queens fly off while handling them, and they usually return to the hive.
To preclude the problem of looseing the queen overboard always insure you work the brood frames over the brood box or the inverted outer cover......Robo's right, always take a secound look around the hive you've been working to ensure all is well.
Growned queens will somtimes make it back to thier hive unless
the hive is elevated or you've got a lot of tall grass, good reson to keep the grass cut short........most times a mature queen will not (cannot) fly but a young queen whos ovarries have not fully developed can and will fly off the comb but generally knows the way back.
keep your smoker fuel dry,
Steve