Getting ready to swarm or not

[Rooster007]

I hope someone could offer some advise please as I think I am on a third year panic as the previous two started off more calmly.

I managed to successfully overwinter last year, split two hives without them swarming and took my first honey crop so very happy.
This winter, I've managed to get my 4 hives through and 3 out of 4 is doing OK.
I'll deal with the one that isn't OK on another post as I took a chance on this happening but will explain on the post.

One of the 3 hives that has overwintered well is incredibly strong and when I checked them out in the middle of the week for the first inspection, I noticed they were rammed full of bees and stores.
I didn't notice any QC's but there was a lot of brood.
I decided to put on another super and now wish I'd checked earlier in March.

Today they were very active and a lot of activity around the entrance (I use under floor entrances) but tonight when I had a walk down the garden to see them this hive had a huge cluster of bees in the under floor entrance.

Could they have been getting ready to swarm and I missed it?
Does it mean then are close to swarming?

I'll give the hive another good look tomorrow but also not sure if the cooler weather that's forecast would stop this.

I managed to get a small pic but its a little out of focus, but I was on my knees trying to take the photo at arms length.


Any advise is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[ShinySideUp]

I doubt they are getting ready to swarm if this picture was taken in the evening. The weather has been warm recently and it's possible they are just cooling off; mine tend to do this on a warm summer evening (yes, I know it's only Spring), however I'm no expert, just thought I'd put in my little two penn'orth.

 

[pargyle]

Just fanning .. they need air circulation to ripen the honey and they need to maintain this stand in the entrance and fan .. often see it on warm evenings when they are in a flow.