Did a cut out this evening, a real nice one got a deep of brood comb and a shallow of honey. Couldn't find the queen but had a fair amount of brood mostly capped but try as I might no eggs were seen. Puzzled but knew I could check in three days and if needed could slip them a frame of eggs. No queen cells found just a couple cups.
So as I was cleaning up and wiping down the step ladder I spot her all by herself sitting on the ladder, a virgin queen! What was she doing out of the hole all by her lonesome beats the heck out of me.