Swarm or supersedure?

[KeithFife]

Hello, just looking for a wee bit of advice regarding my options following inspection of a hive this morning. This colony was from an artificial swarm in May and has the old (1 year) queen who is laying well. I have been inspecting at 7 day intervals and no signs of swarm cells prior to now. This morning there were three charged queen cells each in central-ish positions on separate frames and one further one looks recently sealed. There are eggs / larvae present in brood frames. I know it would be helpful to verify queen still present and I will go back and check but I am fairly sure they haven't swarmed because eggs present, there is a good population of bees, weather has been very poor last few days and there have been no signs of activity at bait hives.

So while I put the kettle on I am mulling over a few options. I suppose I am wondering if they are trying to supersede or imminently swarming. So after going back and checking that the queen is definitely present should I...

a) Do nothing and see if they supersede?

b) Knock down all QC, add another super for additional space and inspect again next week to see what they do?

3) Put the queen in a nuc and leave one good QC in parent hive?

Any thoughts?

 

[Swarm]

Treat them as swarm cells. It sounds like she was split away as swarm prevention and now built up to the same stage. Swarm fever not cured but delayed.

 

[KeithFife]

OK thanks, that was my gut feeling. I assume the nuc method would be the least disruptive method with regard to the main honey flow?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The position of the QC is no indication of whether they are superseding or swarming. the queen will also lay up to the point they leave the hive.
If there's more than one QC, assume swarm.
If only one, be aware they still might swarm

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I assume the nuc method would be the least disruptive method with regard to the main honey flow?

As the flow is on now, yes

 

[KeithFife]

Many thanks for the advice.