Hello Tom & All,
We all have got our systems. I think I will use the old  method instead of
the ones your friend told you.
I will add that when you open the hive and all the hives stingers are in the
air they are not in a mood to bee worked. Fire up the smoker. Ask your
friend what he concludes from stingers in the air. Bee eyes looking up from
the frames is not a good sign either. The whole hive has stopped going about
there duties and are focused on you. Usually happens when a hive is entered
without smoke.
I will say bees moving about *rather aimlessly* as your friend says in early
spring is a indicater they are queenless in the Midwest (U.S.). when other
hives are in tight cluster.
If the system works for your friend he should stick with his system. After
40+ years I can tell quite a bit by looking at a hive of bees but still have
to look for queen cells. I will try your friends method on some hives and
report back.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa, Missouri
Ps. Hoping Tom's friends method works so I have lifted my last second hive
body off to check for swarm cells!