A good catch

[Vance G]

Today I was out seeing if queens I released in splits were laying and doing well.  Most were laying and after I finished, I did my normal walk around to see what I had left lay this time.   I saw a small knot of bees by the first two hives and just assumed it was lost baby bees from where I had set a frame to make room.  I decided to look and low and behold, there in the knot was a fine young black carnie queen.  I got a queen cage and managed to finally catch her without hurting her as she tried to hide in the wiry buffalo grass the hives set in.  I got her contained and plugged the hole with some sugared honey.  Now I have to find out where she belongs and I had two choices.  I layed the queen cage on the top bars of the first choice and it was apparent she was not welcome there.   Bees wanted to sting her thru the screen.  Then I placed her on the next hives top bars and it was obvious that they were missing her!  So I put the cage in and will have to remember to read my notes and check how things worked out.   Just patting myself on the back and sharing something that may help another.

[Javin]

Wow!  Good catch indeed!  I'm still terrible at spotting a queen.

[AndrewT]

I made up a box with three sides and a bottom so that I can set aside frames as I get into a hive instead of just leaning them against the hive.  That way, if you don't see the queen and she's on the frame you pull, she's not likely to get lost, like she could if you lean the frame against the hive.  Even if she did fall or jump off, she'd be in the box.

It's helpful when you're making splits and you're pulling frames to see which you're going to take out for the split.