What are these bees doing?

[BeeLady]

These are the two hives I made from the one mean hive earlier this week.  I have queens being shipped and have not verified whether either of these hives are queenright.

This is the back of the hive.  Both entrances are facing east, same as the original hive which consisted of (all pictured) the deep, one medium with brood, and the two orange shallows.

It looks almost like a small swarm - wonder if there is a queen underneath those bees?





Update:  Three hours later this cluster has grown to softball size.  Could a swarm be forming on the back of the hive box?

[Michael Bush]

>Three hours later this cluster has grown to softball size.  Could a swarm be forming on the back of the hive box?

Yes, it could.  I'd look it over carefully looking for a queen in the middle being balled.

[tig]

it could be a swarm