Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => REQUEENING & RAISING NEW QUEENS => Topic started by: ArmucheeBee on May 16, 2011, 10:40:45 pm

Title: Clipped Queens
Post by: ArmucheeBee on May 16, 2011, 10:40:45 pm
I am thinking of clipping my queens because I had 3 superb queens swarm this spring (it was my fault-improper management).  My question is:  when a clipped queen attempts to swarm does she just crawl or bounce across the ground with 1000s of workers in tow?  What actually happens?    Also, much of the wing is clipped and is it both wings?
Title: Re: Clipped Queens
Post by: BjornBee on May 16, 2011, 11:52:35 pm
A clipped queen still attempts to leave with the swarm.

And a half clipped wing will not work. I have had half clipped winged queens still fly off.

Clipping wings always has me perplexed. If one can manage to monitor their yards every day looking for a swarm on the ground, why not just spend time once a week opening the hive, and dealing with swarming in another manner other than waiting for a clipped queen to be laying in the yard. Clipped queens are at the mercy of rain and weather, ants, nighttime predators, etc. Even if you find the clipped queen, you still have the issue of secondary swarms, virgins, etc.

Some have written in the past about bees perhaps knowing that a clipped queen is incomplete in some way and have suggested perhaps an increase in supersedure.
Title: Re: Clipped Queens
Post by: Michael Bush on May 17, 2011, 01:48:14 am
>Also, much of the wing is clipped and is it both wings?

About 2/3s of one wing will work.  If you clip half of both she will still fly.

Even clipped, as Bjorn says, they will still swarm and when they eventually figure out she can't come along they will release an virgin and leave with her instead.
Title: Re: Clipped Queens
Post by: Grieth on May 17, 2011, 09:49:57 am
And on top of that it is just cruel :?
Title: Re: Clipped Queens
Post by: Michael Bush on May 18, 2011, 02:22:12 am
Other than mating the first week or two of her live, and swarming the queen will never fly.  As far as "cruel", wings are like toenails i.e. without nerves.  But I see no purpose in clipping them other than an indelible way to identify a particular queen.  It won't prevent swarming.

Title: Re: Clipped Queens
Post by: bud1 on May 18, 2011, 06:09:33 am
i don't clip unless i get a swarm or cutout, then i do as most will leave here. she will go about 10-20ft. with a ball of bees. pick her up and chunk her back  and back they come.
some times they superced her, but i dont loose my bees most of the time.
Title: Re: Clipped Queens
Post by: ArmucheeBee on May 19, 2011, 08:13:14 am
I know it will not Prevent swarming but it would allow me to retrieve the queen when or if she did swarm.
Title: Re: Clipped Queens
Post by: Michael Bush on May 19, 2011, 12:03:50 pm
I might if you are there when they try to leave.  It might not if you aren't.