Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?

[BurleyBee]

Grabbed a queen by the wings to mark her.   Screwed up and missed her legs when I tried to grab them.  She flew down by my feet, so I picked her up, opened my hand to the top of the frames and she flew away.  Didn?t see where she went.  Talk about a gut punch.

[TheHoneyPump]

Yup, not often, but it does happen.  When that happens, leave the hive open, as is, just all-stop and walk away for 15 minutes.  When you go back, approach the hive slowly while scanning the ground/grass and twigs around the hive for a small clump of bees. She will be in there. If no clump, then she will be back in the hive. If you stay there fluttering about trying to find her, further disturbing the hive, chances are she will stay away and not able to return.

Good luck!  Chances are very high she will return if you just step back for a break.

[.30WCF]

I?ve had it happen while marking virgin queens more than I care to admit. I?ve stopped marking virgin Queens. Once they are laying, fair game.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BeeMaster2]

Yup, it had it happen. Now when I catch a queen at home I go in the garage bathroom and mark her there. If she flies I can catch her again.
Jim Altmiller

[Ben Framed]

Yup, it had it happen.

I have had it happen as well. I understand the 'hit in the gut' feeling Burley... HoneyPumps advice is solid...

[beesnweeds]

Ive had queens fly away and they always returned to the hive with the top open or closed.  I had a young queen fly quite a distance back to a mating nuc before as well.  Queens sense of orientation seems just as keen as a forager.

[Oldbeavo]

.30, spot on, young queens are the pits to mark. usually make a judgement by how fast they are moving on the frame. running around like a headless chook, don't bother.
I don't pick them up, rather lightly hold her on the frame and mark her.

[TheHoneyPump]

I am old school and still use an alexander style veil. A neat trick to use sometimes with flighty queens is have an extra veil. Put the veil on its side on top of a hive or box or table or tailgate or whatever your workspace is. Put hands and queen inside the veil.  Do the handling and marking inside the veil. If she is really squirmy, flighty, etc and she slips your grip - she is contained in the veil and easy to catch.  I sometimes setup to mark 50-100 caged queens at a time this way while releasing the attendants.

[The15thMember]

I am old school and still use an alexander style veil. A neat trick to use sometimes with flighty queens is have an extra veil. Put the veil on its side on top of a hive or box or table or tailgate or whatever your workspace is. Put hands and queen inside the veil.  Do the handling and marking inside the veil. If she is really squirmy, flighty, etc and she slips your grip - she is contained in the veil and easy to catch.  I sometimes setup to mark 50-100 caged queens at a time this way while releasing the attendants.

Brilliant! 

[Ben Framed]

Brilliant!

X-2. 

[BurleyBee]

Thanks y?all.  It?s funny now.  I feel like every lesson I learn in beekeeping is a hard one.  Always enjoy hearing that others have experienced the same failures.

[TheHoneyPump]

Also.. not said yet in this thread; I found the best way to handle and control any bee, especially queens, is by her thorax.  Not by her wings or legs, as she can and will easily contort in ways that injure herself, and get away!  Holding her thorax, like holding a small pea between your fingertips, is safe for her and secure for you.

[Ben Framed]

Also.. not said yet in this thread; I found the best way to handle and control any bee, especially queens, is by her thorax.  Not by her wings or legs

I agree...

[Michael Bush]

I had that happen about three times in one day a week or two ago...

https://bushfarms.com/beesqueenflying.htm