releasing a queen

[harvey]

I had to release a queen today, she had been in the little queen cage along with four workers for five days.  They had not eaten there way our nor had the bees in the hive eaten there way in.  I had sealed the queen cage with wax and honey that I scraped off of a comb from that hive.  No bur comb on the queen cage either?  This hive had been queen less for a while.  at least a couple of weeks.  I see no evidence of a laying worker, no brood, eggs, or larva anywhere and I placed two empty combs under the queen cage so that when she was released she could get busy.  The bees have some nectar in the top of those two frames now but the majority of those two frames are still empty.  Hive is still strong in numbers.  When I release her today she just ran out of the cage and disappeared between two frames.  I didn't notice any workers gathering around her and there were only three or four around the queen cage?  I thought they would have been all over that cage while it sat there?   I will check in a week and see if she is laying.  Looks like she lost a little weight sitting in that cage for a week.  Small dark, all black queen. 

[beekeeper1756]

You should be ecouraged.  I would take the fact that the queen was released, (didn't get mobbed or balled up) and that she just disappeared over the edge of the frames as a very good sign that she has  been accepted by the hive.  I'm pretty sure she must be hungry.  She'll get to work quickly.  Give her one week and then recheck the frames to look for eggs, located dead center of the bottom of the cell.  Me personally, as old as I am getting, reading glasses help me alot.  Younger eyes may not need as much help.
:-D
I think as went well for you.

Good luck.

[fish_stix]

Why did you seal the opening with wax and honey?  :?

[Kathyp]

were there attendants in the cage?  was there candy or marshmallow in the end so that they could feed her?

if she didn't eat for 5 days she's probably in the same condition she would be in pre-swarm.  also, doesn't sound like you have much of a flow going on.  between your other posts about having trouble getting supers drawn and this one, sounds like they aren't bringing much in.

give her a bit to fatten up. and see what happens.

[harvey]

there were four attendants in the cage with her, all were well when I released her.  There was alittle marshmellow left still in one end of the cage.  The other cork I had removed when I put her in and cramed honey and wax back into the hole.  That is what the folks I got the queen from suggested.  I am not sure if I have a flow going or not.  The thistle is just now going into full bloom.  I have almost two acreas of nothing but pretty purple flowers right now and the bees are all over them.  It has been a little over a week since I installed the queen, five days since I released her.  I am going to check this sunday if the weather is right to see if she is laying.  The hive itself has quite a bit of honey in it.  I had also smeared the queen cage with a little honey and wax for acceptance.  ?  Some of the honey I let dribble into the cage before I tipped it screen down.