Riv- "jen, you have the quirkiest bees on the planet. i agree with iddee about sending her through the bottom entrance, rather than opening up to the brood box. if the bees weren't trying to ball her, or bite, or sting her (kill her) through the queen clip, and appeared to be protecting her. it's her hive.
No Kidding Right! Barry says I have Special Ed bees... I say I have Gifted bees Aahhahaha
Ya, there was no aggression going on at all, it appeared as tho the bees were quietly covering her while in the cage.
Just got back home and the top entrance is clear, I'll have to take off the robbing screen so I can make sure she goes thru the bottom entrance. Then put it back on.
I may have an answer for this, I'll get back to ya later.
Gypsi, I have done many applications of OA and have never run into this sitch before. And, OA doens't smell anything as yucky and Formic Acid. But, then again, I done have a bee nose either... shrug