what are the odds?

[rober]

I had a dud queen in a clip in her hive so I'd not have to find her when a new queen arrived. she was in the clip with several workers for 3 days. new queens were due so I took her out yesterday, set her ( still in the clip ) in my workshop & forgot about her. today I checked the clip & she was gone. since the shop door was open part of today I guess there's a chance that she found her way home. her hive is only 600' feet from the shop. i'm wondering though how she got out of the clip. because of several days of captivity could she have lost enough weight to fit thru the slots? should have squished her.

[Perry]

Probably slimmed down enough alright, but wonder if she would find the hive that far away.

[rober]

we finally got some rain so i'll be checking the hive when it stops. I may have lucked out & she escaped while the door was closed & was attracted to the light at the window & croaked. i'll check the sills tomorrow.

[Jen]

Slimming down is a possibility. But it's my understanding that it's the size of the queens thorax that cannot get thru the queen clip, not her abdomen. I've had countless queens in clips and they can only get their little faces thru the opening, the thorax staying inside the clip  :eusa_think:

[rober]

tell that to this queen.

[Jen]

Well Bummer Rober! The mysteries abound in beekeeping, and queens alone are precarious 

[Lburou]

Please be sure to let us know what you find in that hive (queenwise) when you finally get into it rober... 

[rober]

I went thru the hive & did not see the queen. we all know that she could still be lurking though. my new queens arrived & were installed yesterday. I will check again while the new queen is still caged.