[shaneTX]

As an experiment, I split a hive, and waited for queen cells and then moved a single frame of nurse bees and capped brood to an observation hive. Watching bees from an observation hive is my cathartic action..

The queen emerged on Sunday 4/26 or Monday 4/27 because the queen cells got torn down. Couldnt find her and then I finally spotted the queen today, May 1, and she is TINY and looks like her siblings!!
This is my first time observing a recently emerged queen.

Are virgin queens so small? Her thorax looks the same size as the the workers.

I assume she is a virgin since mating flights don't usually happen for 7-8 days.. However, I observed her twice today in the egg laying position but mostly she's exploring the hive. Maybe she's practicing until she is knocked up..

Hope this picture does justice. Frankly, only her walking behaviors and the shape of her abdomen is the only reason i assume she is the queen.

 

[Oldtimer]

In the pic it looks like a very old queen, however that may just be a function of the way the (somewhat grainy) pic shows it.

If it's a virgin some queens like that turn out to be OK, you'll have to wait and see.

EDIT just bre read your post and see she is in an observation hive, for a small hive, long as she mates normally, she will be fine.