How quick can queen start laying?

[Sutty]

I watched a colony swarm on the 14th. Examining I found a recently emerged QC and several ripe cell which I pulled leaving several virgins in the hive.
I assumed I had missed a prime swarm previously and the swarm would be headed by a virgin.
I checked them today (20th) and found eggs and the queen.
I've never known them get mated and start laying that quick!
There's a small possibility that this was the old laying queen and this was the prime swarm, she wasn't marked but the old one was, though I've been having problems with the red marker wearing off very quickly.
What's the fastest they can get mated and lay?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've had one mating within days of emergence and laying not long after that

 

[jarmo henttu]

I watched a colony swarm on the 14th. Examining I found a recently emerged QC and several ripe cell which I pulled leaving several virgins in the hive.
I assumed I had missed a prime swarm previously and the swarm would be headed by a virgin.
I checked them today (20th) and found eggs and the queen.
I've never known them get mated and start laying that quick!
There's a small possibility that this was the old laying queen and this was the prime swarm, she wasn't marked but the old one was, though I've been having problems with the red marker wearing off very quickly.
What's the fastest they can get mated and lay?

Virgin queen is ripe to mate at 7 days old.

Swarm virgin is inside the queen cell 2 days when she waits that the second swarm leaves. Swarm virgins are ready to fly when they emerge from the cell. After swarm may have several queens.

Normal queen is ready lay after 10 days from emerhing. The queen needs 1-3 days for mating.

 

[Sutty]

Well despite what I saw they have absconded at some point today!

 

[jarmo henttu]

Well despite what I saw they have absconded at some point today!

A swarm has departed and returned or what. Abscond is very rare maneuver in bee hives.

What means "at some point"

 

[Sutty]

A swarm has departed and returned or what. Abscond is very rare maneuver in bee hives.

What means "at some point"

The swarm I had caught and put in a nucleus hive on the 14th of June left the nucleus hive at some time yesterday.

 

[jarmo henttu]

The swarm I had caught and put in a nucleus hive on the 14th of June left the nucleus hive at some time yesterday.

You should look inside the hive. If it is full of brood, the colony has went to find a new home.

 

[Sutty]

You should look inside the hive. If it is full of brood, the colony has went to find a new home.

No brood, about 50 bees