What's going on?

[Reginac1]

Okay so my husband and I whom are relatively new to beekeeping went out to the yard to do extensive inspections of our hives,  we have found several queen cells on quite a few hives, and we have no idea why.  We just got started this year isn't it too late for new queens?  Our hives that we find the most in are strong layine new to this year queens.  All of ours are up to two full supers and my husband says he thinks that at least 3 of them need a new super because of how many bees are in the hives.  Is it to late to make small nucs?  Help we don't want to loose the bees and we don't quite know what to do about that many queen cells. 
Regina in Tenneessee

[yelnifok]

Hello Regina, there is a saying among beeks', "Honeybees will do what they want to when they want to do it". That being said- it does sound like they want to swarm and no this is not a good time to do it but they do seem congested and that is a 'trigger' for swarming activity. Were the queen cells up in the frames or hanging from the bottom of the frame? If they are up in the brood area of the frame then they are most likely supersedure cells and are there to replace a defective queen. Leave these alone as the bees have decided they need a new queen.-normal,it happens. If the q-cells are on the frame bottoms- this is early swarm activity and if you can I would make a few splits. One of the splits from each hive should include the old queen so as to simulate the swarm  has left. Try to equalize the strength and stores of your colonies - make sure you leave a couple 2or 3 queen cells for the parent colony or it will go queenless. Your better queen cells will be @1-1/4" or longer and well mottled ( chewed up rough surface- like a peanut shell). If you still think you have a lot of Q-cells you might check locally to see if anyone could use a cell or two.
   lee...
   

[Reginac1]

Thank you lee, we have both types of cells my husband said he thought we may have too many bees in the hives so they are making a split with this one the others are supercede cells which in one hive makes no sense because it is the best laying queen we have she has 6 frames of brood that she keeps topped up.  The other he is going to watch and may let them supercede. thanks for the reply.