Clipping queens

[bramblebee]

Do many people clip there queens wings

 

[melon]

I don't. Not yet confident enough to handle queens. I think commercial bee keepers do.

 

[darren64]

I wouldn't dare,I would be too scared of damaging her,

 

[beebreeder]

Yes all my queens are clipped and marked, I hate the pens but am having trouble sourcing the water based one that swienty do, it seems out of stock in a lot of places. I only clip the top third of one wing and if you want to get keen alternate sides year on year. For new beekeepers try practicing on drones but don't put them back in a hive kill them afterwards.
kev

 

[WoodenBeam]

We clipped our first home reared queen last year & all went smoothly. Came to mark a new queen this year.......

1st week dropped her, very quick mover

2nd week eggs being laid at least we dropped in to hive but couldn't find her

3rd week, she got fed up with our fumblings & flew off never to be seen again far too small a queen if she was able to fly that easily.

Will we mark & clip in the future, yes, will we be practising more on drones, most definitely. Am annoyed about the above but would be more annoyed had we lost bee's to them swarming.

 

[oliver90owner]

WoodenBeam,

Was this a virgin you were trying to mark?

RAB

 

[bramblebee]

i will give it a go

 

[MrB]

Do many people clip there queens wings

i would end up with half a wing in the hive and a queen in the bin!

 

[Stiffy]

I don't. Not yet confident enough to handle queens. I think commercial bee keepers do.

Practice with a few drones until you get it right, nice and easy to handle. All my mated queens are clipped and marked. Some people believe it cruel but saves losing a whole swarm if they decide to leave, the queen may be lost but the bees will return.
If you decide to clip and mark always give the queen a little time to recover and any marking time to dry properly. I pop mine in a queen cage while I look at other hives and release 5-10 minutes later.......must admit to driving away from out-apiary and suddenly realising that I hadnt released HM!
Cheers
S

 

[WoodenBeam]

WoodenBeam,

Was this a virgin you were trying to mark?

RAB

No, laying queen, in fact, laying really well in my in-experienced view.

Never mind, always looking to the positive. Following week queen cells galore, split hive, so will hopefully be able to up-date 'Numbers of Colonies' to 3 in the very near future

 

[enrico]

I used to clip all my queens but haven't done so for the past ten years. To be honest it seemed to cause more problems that it seemed to be saving me! The clipped queen disappears and the virgin swarms, you never have the old queen to fall back on if it all goes wrong etc etc
My suggestion is to AS as much as possible and at least you keep the good old girl that gave you a good hive if it all goes t**ts up!
E

 

[Poly Hive]

No idea how or what you were doing Enrico but I have clipped for over 20 years and never see a problem such as you describe and as the seriously big guys do it then it cant be the issue can it?

PH

 

[Chris B]

Yes I do but I've only started doing it routinely recently. I buy queens (ready clipped preferably) but also rear my own. I clipped some but found handling queens awkward - put the job off until following spring and often it never happened.
Then I found a nice youtube clip of somebody clipping. He picked the queen up by the wings, then gripped the thorax with forefinger and thumb of opposite hand. Then it's dead easy to clip and/or mark. I do get the odd sting picking the queen off the comb barehanded but most colonies don't object. I'll see if I can dig out the clip.

And here it is: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxKJNZ5vhNw[/ame]
The queen stuff happens about halfway through.

 

[bramblebee]

Found marked and clipped a queen today
First time ive clipped a queen
Was easy did it with scissor while she was still on the frame

Have now found all but one of my queens this year

Will clip half and see if its worth while