Releasing the queen.

[Arthur]

When I had my Warre' open yesterday, I notice that the queen hadn't yet been released. How long should or can I wait before letting her out myself (won't have nice weather 'til this Saturday), and how do I go about it? Do I just pop out the marshmallow and let her out on top of the bars? Will she fly off?

[kathyp]

if you have one of the wood cages with the screen the easiest way is to hold the cage down in the hive against some comb and peel the screen off. you can let her walk right onto the comb.
slip a blade under the edge of that screen before you start so that it's easy to grasp and remove.  just don't go so far that you open it and let her out.

how long has she been in and are the bees taking care of her?  she can stay in a long time as long as they are tending her.  i forgot one once for a week.  queen was fine.

you don't need good weather....you just need a warm enough day that's not pouring and windy to pop the top and let her out.
if we wait for great weather in the PNW, we don't get much done 

where in SW washington are you?

[Arthur]

She's  been in since Saturday evening, when I picked up her cage yesterday there were at least 10 workers on the outside of it, so I guess they are taking care of her. She was quite active, not lethargic or weak.

I'm in Kelso, about 45 min north of Portland, OR. The bees seem so much friendlier on a nice day.

[kathyp]

they are better on a nice day.  my guess is that by saturday she'll be out.  if not, saturday should be fine.  did you put the cage marshmallow side up?  sometimes a dead worker can block her exit if it's opening down.

if you get a break in the weather and want to turn her loose, she can get busy laying.  the delay in laying is the downside to leaving her caged.

[Arthur]

The cage is laying horizontally, so hopefully she'll get let out. It's going to be pouring rain and/or windy all week according to the latest weather report.

[Arthur]

Update!
The queen is out, and hive activity is high. They are haulin' pollen like crazy.

[Colorado Bee Man]

If the queen isn't out at a week, I usually let her out. Also if she arrives with dead bees inside the queen cage, I let her out immediately.