She will follow her own rules and timeline. Generally what we know is as follows:
- If you see her chewing to get out, she will be out walking around within the hour.
- She will spend approximately 3 days roaming around inside the hive appearing to not be doing much. Basically, she's exploring the reaches of the hive, checking brood status of each comb, and hunting down any other Qcells or queens. The larger the hive, the more combs, the longer it takes her to complete this stage. Small hives, nucs, may only take her a day. Large hives will take her longer, obviously.
- She will then hang out on a frame near the entrance waiting for a nice warm day to be ushered out by an entourage of bees for her orientation flights and mating flights. Look for warm calm days above 22 deg C ( 71 F). She may go out cooler and overcast, but only if she has to. She will go out mid-afternoon 2pm-ish. Stay away from the hive so as to not confuse her safe return on any orientation flights and return flights.
- After a good mating day, she will spend 24 to 48 hours processing. The bees will be vigoursly grooming and massaging her abdomen during this time. Again, stay out of the hive as disturbances may change beehaviour from massaging to balling.
- On the 4th day after a good mating flight day, there will be eggs.
- If she doesn't feel sufficiently satisfied, she may take additional mating flights. Those additional mating flights will be before she starts laying. Once she starts laying, she will never leave the hive again. .... unless she is dead and tossed or she is swarming away.
Keep a calendar so you know when you have to stay away and when is safe to be curiously disruptive.
14 to 17 days from Egg laid to a walking queen
20 to 22 days from egg laid to a flying mating queen
25 to 30 days from egg laid to a mated laying queen, eggs
Patience and minimal looky-loos
Hope that helps!
THP