Bees in miami: I think you misunderstand the situation. I do not want to lose this queen because she carries the dna from the colony. If I have to replace her, then the entire colony changes in a generation. I've essentially killed the colony. I made a mistake that a first year bee keeper should know not to make. And I'm sure the vast majority don't try to touch the queen. I knew better myself, but acted without thinking. That's when folks get into trouble most of the time. Acting or speaking or typing, without thinking first...
So what did I do? The queen flew off low to the ground. After she got about 10 feet away, I lost sight of her. I put the frame down and started to walk in that direction, but then stopped to think. "What if I don't see her in the taller grass and step on her?" "If I see her and try to approach, she may jump up and fly even farther away." "She may be watching me right now from a distance, and if the danger leaves, she may come back."
I decided, since I didn't know what to do, to go and ask someone who would know what to do, so that I didn't make a bad situation worse. I posted on the forum. Then I had the bright idea to call a master bee keeper and ask him personally. By the time I talked to him, about 45 minutes had gone by. Should have thought to call him first... He said she wouldn't come back, so I did what he told me to try. I went back out there and took a frame of bees over to the area I hoped the queen had flown to, about 20 yards from the hive, and shook the bees off on the ground. Waited to see if they gathered to the queen. They instead, went back to the hive. I proceeded to walk over every piece of ground in that area from the hive to a thick treeline, looking at every blade of grass and flower. Back and forth, methodically. No queen. Did that twice.
So the only thing I know to do at this point is wait until monday and check to see if she is back in there. There is nothing else I can do, bees in miami. I did pop the top one more time last night and look for the queen on the couple of brood frames. She wasn't there. Does no good to look again until Monday. She will either be back or she won't. I can't find her in the yard, after looking closely. How have I shown a disregard for the colony DNA? What else could I gave done, or do before Monday to locate the queen? If you know, please tell me. I've learned two lessons from this. 1) Never touch the queen....idiot me knew that but didn't think... 2) if the queen does fly off, immediately shake a frame in the area and watch to see if they go to her.