Do attacked queen cells look different from emerged?

[Cascadebee]

Missed an emergence date, and had myself a queen battle in a nuc.  The emerged queens opened a neat round cap at the tip of the cell, all of them looked the same. One adult queen was left from 3 cells. In a neighboring nuc the cell of the same age looked like it emerged too but queen nowhere to be found, 3 checks.  What's weird is they don't act queenless, I gave them brood to start over and they aren't starting any cells.

When a queen attacks her sister in a cell does she open the tip and then sting, or does anything characterize an attacked cell from an emerged?  My books fail here.

I just read about someone who had a queen go into a neighboring nuc and kill queen cells. This is why I'm curious.

Thanks!

[John Schwartz]

Yes, usually you'll see the base of the cell chewed away by the attacking queen instead of a small uncapped area at tip of cell. :)

[Cascadebee]

Appreciate it lotsabees.  Time for some CSI work.

[John Schwartz]

hehe... you bet. have fun!

[fish_stix]

The attacked cell will have a large door chewed into the side of the cell. The newly emerged virgins are very hard to spot as they look more like a worker than a queen, just a little larger than a worker. They won't develop the long abdomen until after mating.

[Cascadebee]

UPDATE: They started queen cells.  No evidence of struggle.  Queen didn't make it back from nuptial flight is my conclusion.  I may have the swallow I saw feasting on bees to thank.