Clipped Queens

[ArmucheeBee]

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?

[BjornBee]

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.

[Michael Bush]

>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.

[Grieth]

And on top of that it is just cruel :?

[Michael Bush]

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.

[bud1]

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.

[ArmucheeBee]

I know it will not Prevent swarming but it would allow me to retrieve the queen when or if she did swarm.

[Michael Bush]

I might if you are there when they try to leave.  It might not if you aren't.