# need help finding the Queen



## kspiker (Oct 13, 2012)

First time for me. Had a tree go down with bee in it. Cut open the tree and an area of about 8 feet long and 1.5 feet diameter was filled with comb and honey, I got about 200 pounds is my guess. I could not find the queen. I have never seen so many bees in one hive more than i get in 2 of my deeps, i think it will take 3 deeps to just hold the bees. I need the Queen and cant find her any suggestions Please.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome! Look again, not being mean, just look, if you do not see her go back again tomorrow. You might take a second set of boxes to move frames to so she does not cross over.


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## kspiker (Oct 13, 2012)

AmericasBeekeeper said:


> Welcome! Look again, not being mean, just look, if you do not see her go back again tomorrow. You might take a second set of boxes to move frames to so she does not cross over.


That is the plan i have, going back in the morning and will look again, Thanks


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## Lappe's Bee Supply (Jun 13, 2016)

Welcome to the forum! A lot of times, queens like to run and hide, and can be almost impossible to find. Just take your time and really look. Good luck finding her!


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

In nearly every cutout I've ever done the queen is practically the last bee that is left. They're masters of avoiding the guy with the smoker and bee vac. I'd bet that you sucked her up and she's in the hive with all them bees. Give it some time. You'll find eggs and celebrate and finally see her in ten days to two weeks. She's upset and hiding from that brute (you). 

Once we found a queen had crawled thru the wall structure and was in a completely different room on a different level in the house. 
Bees were finding a way from upstairs to by the back door downstairs just under where we were working. Old house was balloon framed and she could go anywhere. Went to vacuum up the bees and HOLY CRAP there she is. 
So we put her in a queen cage and my partner failed to close it right and we had to find her again outside. 

From my experience when you're at your wits end and can't find the queen it's best to let some bees lose and let them find her. Wait ten minutes and they'll be with mama. I've had to do this a few times too. Them bees have incredible sense of smell and will find her.


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## DeepCreek (Jan 23, 2015)

That was my thought. You don't necessarily have to find the queen, just signs that you have a queen.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

We had one queen we never saw for a whole year (we stopped seeing her after we declared a little too loudly that we intended to mark her). She was clearly present because we kept seeing brood.

Most of ours we see about 2/3 of the time on inspections, and that includes unmarked queens.

Big populations make it difficult to spot her. There's a kind of mindset needed. You need to be looking _*for*_ the queen, not looking _*at*_ bees. Otherwise you just see a lot of bees. But if she's covered up by a huge population, or hiding, you may never see her.


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## Agis Apiaries (Jul 22, 2014)

We rarely look for the queen herself. As long as I see the below, I am happy. :thumbsup:


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

I keep a little tackle box of bee goodies that don't get used every day. In the top of that box is a bug vac. (toy) That thing saves me a ton of grief and anxiety. When I spot an unmarked queen on a frame I'll march over to the tackle box, grab the bug vac, and suck her up in it. Then it's easy as heck to transfer her into the queen marking tube. Once marked I go back and inspect the colony and I can be fearless because I know the queen is safe. I'll inspect real quickly and by the time I'm done the paint is dry on the newly marked queen. Set the marking tube on top of the hive with the plunger pulled out and watch her go back in. Have done this so many times it's routine. Un-marked queens are rare in my yard so when I spot one I'll fall right into the routine.


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