Queenless?

[drex]

I have been advising a very inexperienced beginner. He rang me ( he thinks it was 12/7/23) saying there were swarm cells ( sealed) and he could not see queen. ( I had marked her for him about 2 weeks before). I said to choose the best and knock down the rest. When I looked myself a couple of days later I was not impressed with his choice of cell. Anyway I advised to leave well alone for 2 -3 weeks.
Last week he said he could not see eggs, and when I went to look neither could I. I have just read a test frame I put in from my bees and no queen cells. If I rely on his dates it will now be 4 weeks since new queen emerged. Every time I have looked in his hive they have been the quietest bees I have seen, as if there is a queen in there, but I cannot see her. He wants to buy in a queen. Do I give her another week ( I have known them take 3 weeks to come into lay, but it is likely now 4). Do I look again or sieve them through a QX). From their behaviour I think there is a queen in there but think she is duff. How would you proceed? Bear in mind these are not my bees

 

[Sutty]

If he left an open QC on the 12th or thereabouts & you looked a few days later (14th or 15th) and assuming the cell was (just) sealed, you wouldn't expect emergence until maybe 22nd, so 3 weeks 2 days ago. Depending on what the weather was like where you are she may not have been quick to mate.
I'd give it another week.

 

[The Poot]

I‘d give it another week too. Bees have a tendency to sort themselves out and surprise us.

 

[Swarm]

Another week, if not two, with the conditions the bees have had to deal with this Summer.