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Author Topic: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?  (Read 1417 times)

Offline BurleyBee

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Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« on: April 30, 2022, 06:04:18 pm »
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.
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Offline TheHoneyPump

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2022, 06:41:18 pm »
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.
When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline .30WCF

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2022, 07:58:49 pm »
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.


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Offline BeeMaster2

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2022, 08:30:21 pm »
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.
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2022, 09:42:36 pm »

Quote
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...
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline beesnweeds

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2022, 10:07:52 pm »
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.
Everyone loves a worker.... until its laying.

Offline Oldbeavo

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2022, 07:41:57 am »
.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.

Offline TheHoneyPump

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2022, 12:31:31 pm »
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.
When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Online The15thMember

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2022, 12:40:30 pm »
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! 
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2022, 01:02:18 pm »
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Brilliant!

X-2.  :grin:
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline BurleyBee

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2022, 02:39:32 pm »
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.
@burleybeeyard

Offline TheHoneyPump

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Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2022, 08:44:57 pm »
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.
When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2022, 02:02:01 am »
Quote
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...
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Y?all ever had a queen fly out of your hands?
« Reply #13 on: May 27, 2022, 10:17:22 am »
I had that happen about three times in one day a week or two ago...

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