Another thing you may be able to do to make finding the queen easier is
to choose the time carefully.  Don't choose to look on a heavily
overcast day or in the evening, when most of the foragers are at home,
particularly in high summer when the population is near maximum!
 
I always mark my queens so that when I do need to find one later it is
easy.  If any overwinter unmarked I try to mark them as soon as the
weather is warm enough to open up the hives again.
 
--
Malcolm Roe                            Phone  :  +44 442 230000 ext 4104
Crosfield Electronics Ltd              Fax    :  +44 442 232301
Hemel Hempstead, Herts. HP2 7RH, UK    E-mail :  [log in to unmask]
------------------------------------------------------------------------