Opened the hive,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Barry n Abbie]

Only to watch the queen fly away I think.  Or maybe it was a lighter drone?  Anyone have this happen to them?

[Perry]

What was going on in the hive after this happened? I'm betting it was a drone. Any queen cells, or anything else out of the ordinary?

[neillsayers]

Barry,

I thought a queen flew off on me one time and it freaked me out. I guess it was a drone or similar colored worker cause the next time there she was laying her little heart out.

[G3farms]

Yes have had a queen fly away. If you watch her most times she will circle and come right back. Looked for a queen one day for about an hour, was putting the hive back together as I had given up on finding her, lo and behold she was walking around on my pants leg. Wife found one on the ground and luckily I did not step on her. Early released a bought queen from Texas, watched her fly back home to Texas.

You never can be sure what they are going to do.

If you see her fly off usually just stand still and she will circle and come back, using you for an orientation point.

[Barry n Abbie]

It's a healthy hive, no queen cells.  I have myself convinced it was a drone.  My assistant says she seen the queen in question fly back through the lower entrance when my back was turned. 

This hive recently requested so I guess I will know in a few days.  Should be about time to see eggs soon

[Bakersdozen]

While inspecting a colony that had been a split we started with queen cells, we looked over to see the queen about 10 ft away.  I notice the colony had started to buzz really loudly.  After she went back in, all was immediately quiet. 

[riverbee]

"Only to watch the queen fly away I think.  Or maybe it was a lighter drone?  Anyone have this happen to them?"

.............

a few times or so............   they usually come back............like george said, never know that they will do.
watched them fly off never to return or looked for a queen an hour or more and the next day she is present.  also, they can run quite quickly on the ground and faster than you can catch up with them.......

worst part is...... when you are trying to requeen a hive and they take off on ya and ya can't find them............