Did I kill the queen?

[Fishing-Nut]

  went and did a removal a few days ago. It was obvious that the bees had recently swarmed but has since gotten the new queen back to laying in the hive. These bees were in a spot where the comb was hard to salvage due to the shape of it. When I opened them up I had spotted and captured the queen within the first 10 minutes.  I only had my little cheap queen clip with me and it barely opens wide enough to catch her. I thought that I had mashed her when attempting to place it over top of her. I got her in the cage and she was walking around just fine. Got the bees home and a little over 24 hours later went and let her go. When she came out of the cage she even attempted to fly. I had to keep my hand over top of her until she went down between frames. Now, days later I cant find her for the life of me and also cant find eggs. There is some capped brood (not much)  in the hive but that is from the removal. I am open feeding a few hives right now and they have found it as well and are storing some. I also saw several (4 or 5) bees with big balls of bright orange pollen on them. Would they still be gathering pollen if there was no eggs to feed? I'm wandering if the queen died or am I just not seeing her because there is a massive amount of bees in the box. They are rebuilding comb like it's going out of style and I'd really like to make sure that these bees survive.  Any thoughts?

[paus]

My guess is that she is an elusive Lady and is well and happy.  Wait another week or so and if there is no brood another queen is in order.

[iddee]

A "few" s not a number. How many days has it been?  After she has been in there 7 days and there are no eggs, buy a queen or give them a frame of eggs.

[Fishing-Nut]

3 days ago. 

[CoolBees]

If you have another hive to pull resources from, place a frame of brood/eggs into this hive. Come back in 8 days and check for QC's (on the frame you installed) and for eggs/larvae throughout the hive. Can't hurt ... prevents laying workers, solves a queenless problem (if that's the case), and buys you time. ... "there isn't much a frame of eggs/brood can't cure" 

[paus]

Coolbees has a better answer

[Fishing-Nut]

Update.....when I brought the bees home I brought home some empty comb with them. I figured she would lay in that. Instead the bees took advantage of the open feeder I have out and started storing sugar water in it and rebuilding and reattaching comb to the frames. They had also went to work on a frame with foundation that I had in there with them. Today I went to rob a brood frame from a stronger hive and give it to them but before I did I went through them. The frame with foundation had been drawn out nicely and wouldnt you know it the queen was there and every available cell had an egg in it....until today I would have almost bet she was dead. 

[Ben Framed]

Update.....when I brought the bees home I brought home some empty comb with them. I figured she would lay in that. Instead the bees took advantage of the open feeder I have out and started storing sugar water in it and rebuilding and reattaching comb to the frames. They had also went to work on a frame with foundation that I had in there with them. Today I went to rob a brood frame from a stronger hive and give it to them but before I did I went through them. The frame with foundation had been drawn out nicely and wouldnt you know it the queen was there and every available cell had an egg in it....until today I would have almost bet she was dead.

Great News!!

[Fishing-Nut]

Here is a picture of the lovely lady

[Ben Framed]

Here is a picture of the lovely lady

Yep, good one alright..  Good day for you. I have been in your shoes once I thought I had lost a queen in a knocked over hive. Finally, I found her also, good feeling.
Phillip