Rodney,
In my PINK PAGES just last month, I wrote about the TIME that might elapse
between a swarm and a new queen laying eggs.  This can easily be a time as
long as 25 days.
So often, beekeepers requeen when there is a virgin queen in the colony and
hence the new bought queen  is killed.

If you have followed my writings, you know that I am extremely STRONG on
having all queens MARKED, so you never have to guess as to "what queen is
this one?"  I say that to you now - MARK YOUR QUEEN.  Yellow is the proper
color for 2002.

A LAYING queen should start laying within 2 days after being released from
her queen cage.  There is no finer queen breeder in the entire U.S. than Reg
Willbanks.

I wish I had a good answer for you.

George Imirie