Kiss

[davethegas]

Sorry folks, following all the threads I can, newbie, but what does KISS stand for? not in acronym list. Also what are the advantages over clipping a Queen against not? Would you clip if you re-queen annually? Sorry to sound like a numbnuts.

 

[tonybloke]

keep It Simple, Stupid.

 

[Rosti]

what are the advantages over clipping a Queen against not?

Clipping stops a queen that is going to swarm from flying, as such the swarm wont go without her. It will probably hold up very near its origin hive and when the queen doesn't move off will often return to the hive. The queen on the other hand is probably on the ground by now and chances are she wont make it home. No swarm but dead queen. Thats the advantage but many 'modern' texts question wing clipping.

My view: I am not experienced, so I would not. When marking I use a crown of thorns to avoid touching the queen. Easy to damage a queen when clipping her wing(s) at which point she gets rejected. Recent threads on here about a handled queens that have not been rested before release being rejected possibly because of alien scent on her.

Choice - attempt to clip and risk losing her now, or dont clip but practice altenative active swarm monitoring and prevention techniques and dont lose her anyway! I would not consider clipping an option from my reading and with my level of skill. Hope that helps

 

[Cazza]

I agree with Rosti. As the most cack handed beek I know, clipping is not for me. I just have to work harder with swarm control.
Cazza.

 

[davethegas]

Thanks for the reply, control as opposed to clipping is what I imagined, as it is more of a natural progression, but interested to find if the majority of most productive but least troublesome colonies use which method?

 

[davethegas]

Rosti/ PH

Thanks Rosti, PH, perhaps this mini debate will make other newbies think before just diving in & clipping a queen. Could end up expensive. I highly respect both points of view.

 

[Mike a]

I agree with Rosti. As the most cack handed beek I know, clipping is not for me. I just have to work harder with swarm control.
Cazza.

Practice on drones.
Marking and clipping

Thats one of the goals I've set myself this year.

 

[plumberman]

As a returner to beekeeping after some years, my record so far in the past 2 years is
Queens clipped with no apparent problem -1
Queens superceded 2 weeks later -1

I appreciate that this is hardly valid data, but until I have a reasonable number of spare queens available, I am going to refrain from clipping