Swarm queen question

[timgoodin]

I removed a small swarm about the size of a basketball a week ago yesterday. They were little black and white bees. The day after capturing them I gave them a frame of brood and got the peach tree branch out of the nuc box where I had them. They have been content and seem to be coming and going but no pollen going in. They are loading up on nectar and sugar syrup I give them and drawing comb. That second day when removing the branch I carefully looked for a queen but was not able to find her. They are not making queen cells even though I gave them brood and it had some eggs and larvae in it so I tend to think she may be in there. There is always a pile of bees at the entrance and they are rather aggressive which I have read on here is a sign they are queenless. Accord to M Bush's bee math the queen would not start laying until about 28 days so assuming this may be a virgin and an afterswarm I guess the earliest I could expect her to start laying would be about another week? Does this sound typical of a swarm?

Tim

[standman]

Did I read somewhere that the swarm usually leaves with the old queen?

[BEES4U]

The swarm is probably what is called an after-swarm with a virgin queen. She may have mated when the bees swarmed. She will mate for the next 2-4 days and start laying eggs in another 3-4.
Regards,
Ernie Lucas apiaries.

[riverrat]

Did I read somewhere that the swarm usually leaves with the old queen?

not necessarily. The bees will swarm with any queen they can get to go. usually it is the old queen. But if she cant fly they will leave with a virgin queen. afterswarms Ibelieve usually contain a virgin queen

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm

If you do the math, if it's an afterswarm, then she's already emerged. It usually takes two weeks for her to mate and start to lay and possibly three. If she's not laying in three weeks and there are other conditions (such as winter setting in or a dearth) that would prevent her from laying then you have a problem. So in 14 days you should probably see eggs and in 21 you should definitely see eggs.