Did hive swarm out or not??

[annette]

I had posted earlier that a swarm moved into a barn on the property where I keep my bees a few days ago.

I went up today to try and figure out if it could have been from my hives.

All I have right now are 3 hives

2 are very weak and I combined them today. No swarm there

1 is very strong with good population, no queen cells anywhere,  they have open brood eggs and larvae and lots of sealed brood in many supers, and I saw a nice fat queen walking around.

I don't believe these are the signs of a hive that swarmed out, but what do you think?

[Michael Bush]

I think it's more likely the one in the barn wall swarmed, but either is possible.  Swarms often happen with little evidence.  If the bees do it well the population explodes just before the swarm and about half of them leave.  If that happens and you missed the poulation explosion, then you don't really notice much difference.

[annette]

OK so now I am confused. So it is not unusual that a hive that looks completely normal and healthy might have swarmed out??