Gauthier Buddy J wrote:

> . While waiting for the new queen to arrive, I figured I would
> find the old queen and take it from there. Well, she was marked with a red
> dot, and I could not find her anywhere. I noticed that queen cells were
> being formed.(Peanut sized cells on the side of the frames)
>  The new queen hatched and I saw her twice.  I've tried
> 10 times to find her in the last 8 days, but now I'm not even making eye
> contact. My new queen is sitting on my counter top waiting to be introduced
> and now I'm getting concerned.

If there are no eggs you probably do not have a queen any longer. If there are
eggs try the following.
    Use the bees own instinct to your advantage. We will use the new queen to
find the old one. The theory being, if you place the new queen in the hive the
old queen will try to kill her. If we place the new queen in the hive the old
queen will come to us.
    Wrap the queen cage in a piece of screen 8 holes to the inch or finer.
Queens and workers the will not be able to get through it. Attach a piece of
wood, coat hanger or similar material for you to use as a handle when you go in
to retrieve it. Get an empty super or a spacer.
1) Give your new queen a couple of drops of water. Do Not Remove the corks. We
don't want her released yet.
2) Do not use smoke if at all possible. Place the super or spacer (with no
frames) just above the brood chamber.
3) Place the new protected queen cage in the empty super with the open face of
the queen cage accessible- to help spread the queen pheromones. Replace the Top
super and leave them be for 1 or a couple hours.
4) Come back and without using smoke remove the top super, and by using your
convenient handle (with no bees on it), carefully examine all sides of
your                protected cage.

Your old queen should be there or very close. The use of smoke may cause her to
begin to run. Do not use smoke if possible. If this doesn't work try 1 more
time. If that doesn't work let us know.


Thom Bradley
Chesapeake, VA