I was transferring a mated queen into a cage from an apidea. Got her into the cage and before I could slide the top shut she escaped. I chased her around the apiary catching her twice but couldn't get her into the cage. Is there any chance she'll find her way home, or have I lost her?

To prevent another catastrophe would this work? unite the whole apidea to a Paynes poly nuc with newspaper. Take the floor out of the apidea and put the apidea on top of the newspaper on the topbars, two 14x12 ekes would give the extra space to accommodate the nuc. Perhaps a sheet of insulation board could be placed on the topbars and the apidea would fit into a cut out. Anybody tried this? It would get the queen into a nuc and at the same time I wouldn't have to waste the brood and bees.