How to tell swarm prep vs bearding

[yes2matt]

Is it possible to tell from the outside if a hive is in early stages of swarming vs normal bearding?

I keep the bees on this lady's farm and she sent me a picture. I'm a day away anyway so can't do anything really. But would ease my mind to know what I was seeing.

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[Nock]

Was it just that one hive? 

[yes2matt]

Was it just that one hive?

Yes. But the other boxes in that area are either empty or mating nucs

Edit: one of the nucs was bearding too. So it is that.

So: one way to tell is comparison to other hives. :)

[Ben Framed]

Matt, will you be able to go inside those hives tomorrow and search for queen cells? I am curious per your question also. If you do go through them let us know what the inside situation is please sir. I caught a big swarm yesterday. They could be getting ready to swarm.

Phillip  Hall

[Michael Bush]

Bearding doesn?t mean they are swarming.  It also doesn?t mean they are not swarming. 
http://bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#bearding

[Ben Framed]

Matt, did you get a chance to go inside and check this hive out? If so what did you find??

Phillip Hall

[sc-bee]

Is it possible to tell from the outside if a hive is in early stages of swarming vs normal bearding?

Short answer ..... NO