"I guess she absoloutly had to mate upon
being released. Any one ever had a similar experience?"

I doubt she flew straight to mate.  She flew off because she  was frightened
by the sudden release.  Frightened queens usually return to the open hive
within a few minutes, sometimes resting on a nearby bush first.  But you
took two risks in your method of introduction - (1)removing the old queen so
early, better to leave her in the hive caged to avoid the bees starting
their own queen cells, (2) leaving the attendants in with the queen, better
to remove all , leaving the queen just with candy, leaving workers delays
the time she picks up the new hive scent.
Robin Dartington

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