need a little advice

[ajm]

  I hived two 4 pound packages on the 4th of April.  One hive is going text book.  It looks very good.  However the other is doing well and has 2 1/2 palm sized brood patterns on three different frames.  But the concern is that there are five different queen cells that they are building.  The cells have not been capped and most are about half way up on the frame. one is close to the b0ttom.  The other hive has nice pattern and no queen cells.
 
What should I do?

ajm

[Michael Bush]

Let them fix the problem.  The average queen gets superseded three times a year according to Nancy Ostiguy, because of the poisons in the wax and poor mating because of the poisons in the wax.  The bees think you need a new queen.  The amount of brood would also indicate you need a new queen.  In about 24 days or less you'll have one.  Meanwhile the old one is still there right?

[ajm]

  Yes, the queen is still there.  Will they leave her there until the new queen hatches or will they kill her sooner?  How long will the hive be delayed because of this process?  Is there any risk in loosing this package because of this?  Also, what do you do with the queen cells after this occurs?

[Michael Bush]

>Will they leave her there until the new queen hatches or will they kill her sooner?

"You can never tell with bees" --Winnie the Pooh

She might stay there until this winter, or they might dispose of her sooner.

[Brian D. Bray]

  Yes, the queen is still there.  Will they leave her there until the new queen hatches or will they kill her sooner? 

One or the other, it's up to the bees.

How long will the hive be delayed because of this process? 

Supercedure happens for a reason, usually based on something we can't see.  If they kkill the old queen it will set the brood laying back about 3 weeks but that can be offset by taking frame of brood from one of the other hives.

Is there any risk in loosing this package because of this?

I never have, supercedure is a normal occurance and is a problem correction, not a problem in and of itself.

Also, what do you do with the queen cells after this occurs?

The bees will usually tear them down once they are no longer needed.