> they both swarmed on 4/12  (19 Days ago) about 3 weeks ago...
> ...Hive #1 was devoid of any sign of a queen.  No Eggs, No Larvae, No
> Capped Brood....
> Hive #2 had No Larvae or Capped Brood, but I did see eggs in a random
> pattern on 2-3 frames (the eggs were well placed in the cells -
> standing up in the bottom of the cell, and no evidence of multiple
> eggs in a cell)...
> ... Concerns are that the queen was not well mated (sporadic pattern).

Standard advice where there is doubt about queens being present is to ask the
bees.  Place a frame with eggs and young larvae into the hive and see what the
bees say...  If they immediately draw queen cells, then they think they need a
new queen or are not sure.  Sometimes they'll tear them down later.  In any
case, they will have a queen within 3 weeks if the weather is good.  Or you can
take their cue and give them one -- after destroying the cells.

If no occupied queen cells are drawn when eggs and larvae are given, then they
think they are fine.  Chances are they are right.

As for the new queen, don't worry about the pattern until she gets established.
Some books make a big deal about tight patterns, but as JB says in a recent post
( http://listserv.albany.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0003D&L=bee-l&P=R2832 ) that is
just one of those myths.

If lots of good brood develops, without too many misses, then don't worry.

allen
---
I am spending quite a bit of time on my diary at
http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/Diary/ these days and add to it pretty well
every day.  Please visit if you are interested -- and write me if you have
anything to add.