What are they up to?

[honeylover]

AS 2 weeks ago, now bees are clustered on front of hive. Have a picture but can't work out how to insert it. Are they about to swarm so I should go in or are they waiting for queen to return from mating flight. Any thoughts?
Thanks

 

[honeylover]

They are also covering the back and underneath of the box. So this I think this is about to swarm??

 

[Heather]

Just check queen not amongst them...Can you find her?
Have you seen eggs in cells in last couple of days. Need more info really.

If clustered early morning they are not waiting for a mated queen tor return, unless she has been on a hell of a hen night.
If they are persisting in clustering all over the place I would personally get a new brood box, transfer all the frames then bang in all the clustering bees from every source. It cannot be that they are too warm, and usually before swarming they are just more active and excited, not hanging out .

 

[honeylover]

Hive with original queen in is fine, didn't see queen but did see eggs and larvae, pollen coming in and need relaxed. The hive with the hanging bees was the one left with a single open queen cell 2 weeks ago, have left alone since to let queen emerge and mate. Am sure that there was only one queen cell left. Bees wafting by entrance then a parenchyma under roof at front, another patch by roof at back then masses hanging off back of hive and underneath hive. Tricky to see if queen as most bees under hive and queen obviously not marked. Thanks for reply, just as you think you have it sussed bees come up with a new trick!!

 

[Nige.Coll]

Timing is about right for a missed queen cells hatching.

When did you last inspect them ?

 

[honeylover]

Not been in since AS 2 weeks ago to give queen chance to hatch and mate. Thanks for replies

 

[honeylover]

Just been and yes two queen cells with trap doors, I was so sure. Bugger will have to hash something together to stick them in as have ordered extra kit but not yet arrived.