To Clip the Queen or Not?

[Poly Hive]

I too like the extra time it gives.

But if your are fiddling every other day then it makes no odds I suppose.

PH

 

[susbees]

I too like the extra time it gives.

But if your are fiddling every other day then it makes no odds I suppose.

PH

I believe that may well qualify as the most condescending post of 2012 to date. Congratulations

There is an increasing sense of a divide on this forum - not the BBKA/non-BBKA but the we're bigger than you brigade. Many times the posts are very valid and valuable from a life-time of experience but, believe it or not, there is a middle ground of intelligent part-time beekeepers who may well choose not to clip queens and find a weekly whip round their 2-20+ odd hives fits in with their lives and practice sensible swarm control.

However I do agree with your sentiment over the number of people who seem physiologically incapable of leaving their bees in peace in the middle of winter. But that is elsewhere.

 

[Finman]

.
I like the system that the swarm returns to the hive during half a hour and I need not spend half of day and try to catch it from 15 meter high pine top.

Last my neighbour cut the twig with rifle. When 4 kg swarm dropped down like a basket ball, half of bees squeezed in that job.

 

[Poly Hive]

Draw what conclusions you wish to. I am on the side of the bees.

I do not diss. That is in your head only. The bees come first.

You in this instance referred to the general not to sus**** so the ego can unwind.

If I were of a malicious mind I might award the most nasty post of 2012 that I have received to a person unnamed. Post and regret.

PH

 

[The Cumbrian]

What does sus**** mean?

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

What does.....

If I were of a malicious mind I might award the most nasty post of 2012 that I have received to a person unnamed. Post and regret.

.......mean?

D

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm finding it easier to do the Sunday Telegraph crossword than follow this thread at the moment!

 

[For want of a better word]

What does sus**** mean?

suspect?


....any way my auntie says I am not to be trusted with scissors !

 

[Into the lions den]

Nice names, but in the real world how many of those 10k+ queens are clipped ? For one, I thought Chain Bridge had a similar policy to my own with regard to only clipping older queens, could be wrong but thats what I was told.

Just noticed this, which all took place while I was bedded with assorted dreaded ailments.

We clip and mark ALL our queens. It is done every spring as the first major job, thus it is the young queens from the year before that get marked (so we will use the 2011 colour in the spring of 2012) and clipped as it is too early for new seasons queens to be on the go.

We do NOT mark the queens in the season of their birth as it is not necessary, she is generally harder to find, and due to her youthful vigour the risk of damage is higher. So far as I am aware all the Scottish commercial guys are the same.

 

[susbees]

As an aside how do the Aussies and NZ beekeepers cope with having a year change mid-season?

 

[The Cumbrian]

As I understand it he does but not until 2012.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

suspaynes?
susTh**nes?
susbritishbeekeepingassociation?
susdavecushman?

Nah, none of those

 

[mbc]

Just noticed this, which all took place while I was bedded with assorted dreaded ailments.

We clip and mark ALL our queens. It is done every spring as the first major job, thus it is the young queens from the year before that get marked (so we will use the 2011 colour in the spring of 2012) and clipped as it is too early for new seasons queens to be on the go.

We do NOT mark the queens in the season of their birth as it is not necessary, she is generally harder to find, and due to her youthful vigour the risk of damage is higher. So far as I am aware all the Scottish commercial guys are the same.

This illustrates my point that the majority of queens belonging to beefarmers are unclipped. At any one time, lets say mid season( e.g. end of JUne ), the largest bee farmer I know of, who advocates clipping ALL his queens, has anything from a quarter to a third of his queens unclipped ( all the new ones untill the following Spring). Add in the majority of bee farmers who dont clip then its a very safe bet that the majority of queens belonging to bee farmers are unclipped.
Pedantic maybe, but to those who argued my point was wrong

 

[Hivemaker.]

Pedantic maybe, but to those who argued my point was wrong

In which case i will back up now,by going as far as to say that just about no queens at all are clipped,no matter who they belong to,or where they are in the world.

 

[mbc]

In which case i will back up now,by going as far as to say that just about no queens at all are clipped,no matter who they belong to,or where they are in the world.

Well done for seeing the light !
No clipped queens at all is far closer to the truth than the majority of queens being clipped, as any thoughtfull beekeeper would realise

 

[Hivemaker.]

Well done for seeing the light !
No clipped queens at all is far closer to the truth

Thank you, i am pleased i saw the light as well,with your help,and your spot on,no queens at all are clipped.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As an aside how do the Aussies and NZ beekeepers cope with having a year change mid-season?

stripes?