The queen has flown the coup

I should have stopped, dropped, and rolled!

Sunday April 22, 2012: the lessons just keep coming. When we got to Acorn Hill I lit the smoker in the truck because it was raining and I grabbed some extra fuel just in case and put it in my back pocket. We walked to the hive pushing the wheel barrow. I was lucky that Melissa came with me because this next lesson could have really hurt. She said, "Hey Bob that smoke isn't coming from the smoker... YOUR PANTS ARE ON FIRE!" I reached in my pocket and pulled out a smoldering wad of cotton smoker fuel. It burned a hole right through my jeans pocket. Man what a wild thing to have happen. This was just the start. I thought later, "Should I even be smoking a young package hive?"

The next lesson was another one of both carelessness and inexperience. Actually not really carelessness but mindlessness, because I care, I just go head first into things without really thinking it through. Melissa and I returned to Acorn Hill to "release" the queen. I left the cork in the cage on Saturday because I have read in multiple places it's good to let the bees really get used to the pheromone of the queen before you release her. So I pull the covers and the feeder off. By the way I am wearing a long sleeve shirt, gloves, a veil, and jeans. I pull the queen cage out and sweep off the bees who are clinging on. I look for a cork and go to town removing it. As soon as the cork is out, before I have a chance to cover the hole with my finger, the queen exits like a bullet from a gun. Straight into the gloomy mist. It was drizzling and rainy so I saw the blue dot on the queen's back for only a short time before she was too far to see.

I guess she didn't like her new home

That was a disheartening moment. As she flew away I was in a complete state of despair. I hadn't read anything about this happening. I didn't know what to do. Should I run after her with a net I'm supposed to have? Should I call after her? Do I send out a rescue team? I don't know what to do.

I did the only thing I could do, I waited... I stood there for a few minutes and she did not return. Things were looking dim. I closed up the hive and I placed the queen cage on the front porch of the hive in hopes that she might return to her own scent. We drove home with not much conversation. I really felt like I lost a friend. Even though the bees have stung me a few times, I have this feeling of responsibility for them, and I feel like I let them down.

Again I looked towards the wisdom of the internet. I explained my situation on the bee forum. Some wiser, more experienced beekeepers gave me varying advice. The plan I devised reading their posts and looking back at some material was simple. I thought I will check tomorrow to see if she has returned, if there is still no sign of her I will call the Boston Honey Company and see if I can get another queen.