Clipping Queens Saves Time & Money! Here Is WHY...

[@makerbreak6611]

You sir are great at your craft and your trade. Thank you for taking time out of your day to educate us.

[@TimothyKennedy-t5r]

Hi, the only thing I would add is to check back again 5 days after you kill the swarm cells and remove mated queen. Sometimes they will make emergency cells and then swarm with the charged swarm cell you left. Often the swarm cells are different ages. I’ve seen one emerged and then as young as eggs in another and all in between. Sometimes doing as your video shows is enough to stop them. Other times they will know you killed those queens and took the mated queen away. They make emergency cells and then swarm with the charged cell. Then later you will have a bunch of virgins all at once. they might fight and not swarm. They may swarm once again or even several times over the next few days. The bees will hold their queens and keep them away from each other until they use them for their swarm. This happened to me before twice and then you end up with a queen who was developed in emergency response instead of the swarm impulse aka you end up keeping the worst possible queen

[@CastleHives]

Good info Laurence. I've always questioned what the benefits of clipping them are.

[@kylestockil85]

Yesterday I had a similar problem but when I took all the queen cells all the queens where alive so I now have 5 new virgin queens 😂😂😂

[@NorthernNectar]

Since the beginning I’ve always clipped queens and I’ve not lost a swarm yet. This is my 4th year. It’s routine for me and I always find the queens when I find QCs.

[@melaniejenkins109]

Clipped all of our queens after seeing your video, should have done it before but always been a bit nervous. Makes sense though as you said she is the investment!!!

[@eastsussexbeesandwildlife5801]

That was great Laurence, thanks so much.

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Thanks Peter 😀

[@Chungsta]

Great video Lawrence ..✌️ I do have a question which I’m finding difficult to understand..? Once a virgin queen hatches from the cell at which point do the bees decide to destroy/break up the used cell. I went into the hive less than a week ago and made sure that the queen cell was still ok and I made a note of where it was in the hive..! To cut a long story short.. I went into today and there was no sign of it whatsoever…? Do you have an explanation for that…. I checked everywhere and not a single egg larvae.. cheers

[@Charlie-ju1fg]

What about if i make week split with the mated queen, kill all queen ceels except 1 and then in few days when the virgin queen emerge , i introduce one mated queen to accelerate the time and dont lose too much time? The hive stop swarming and have mated queen fast. Its a crazy idea? Thank for your videos..

[@ultrasteve9031]

I've clipped queens in the past and it worked mostly, but i'm pretty sure it's led to the demise of some of the queens because the bees see her as deformed and kill her. Other times they swarmed and the Queen went missing, probably lost in the grass, but they returned to the hive without a queen. Of course some of these problems could be my fault due to how i've released her back into the hive once clipped. Do you experience any issues with clipping and how do you do it exactly please? Thanks for posting really good vids. Love to see how you keep bees on a large scale.

[@NorthernNectar]

I’ve never had an issue with them wanting to supersede after being clipped. Obviously you have to be careful that you don’t accidentally snip one of her legs..:if you do then that’s a different story.

[@glynisreynolds446]

Quote of the season - this is bees, they do what they want 🤷‍♀️

[@barryduke8329]

Hi Lawrence, can you do a video on actually clipping the queens please

[@pcgoodie999]

quick question, Laurence... I've bought a few queens from you now, but as a relatively new beekeeper, I'm not at all confident handling individual bees, especially when they cost £50 each :-) ... I was wondering why you don't offer clipping of the queens you sell please?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Hi Simon. The reason we don't offer clipping as a service is due to the logistics of opening and shutting the cages of the queens. Its nearly impossible to preempt the number of queens people would like clipped so we cannot accurately forecast the numbers. For this reason we decided to not offer it as a service

[@TheBritishbeeman]

Iv just brought a mated queen from u also. I’m just wondering she’s been in the cage in between the frames since yesterday mid day I checked her today she’s going strong in there they ain’t balling her so I’ll be popping the tab tomorrow morning. Once they’ve eaten her out when do u recommend clipping her please

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

I'd love to clip some queens. How do you have peace that she won't attempt to fly out and get stranded on the ground at the front of the hive? Our hives are 12 to 18" off the ground.

[@climb315]

Hello, thank you for your videos!! Bit...wont the bees think this queen is disabeld..damaged...and will kill her?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

Nope. You are only nipping the wing. She is 100% able. It's like a human having short finger nails 💅 😍

[@climb315]

@@BlackMountainHoney thank you...sou you are clipping left it right? Both? Always the same wing? How much...1/3? Thank you wery much!!

[@BlackMountainHoney]

@@climb315 Either or both at an angle. Less than a 1/4

[@climb315]

@@BlackMountainHoney thank you wery much for your help!! I love your videos i Have AŽ hives...doing some methods this year and for now the swarming is "under control"...for now :) ;)

[@NORTHWESTHONEYBEES]

Laurence. Could you do a demeree split at this point?

[@BlackMountainHoney]

You can but it's a bit too late

[@NORTHWESTHONEYBEES]

Thank you. As per your advice i have been clipping.

[@smceneaney]

@@BlackMountainHoney Why too late Laurence?

[@bradgoliphant]

Interesting. I clip my queens wings and so far so good. I was thinking if they do swarm I could find here easily and kill her. But your saying that the virgin queen could swarm out leaving her behind. I like this idea. I won't kill her now if they swarm. P.S. I thought Buckfast queens has exceptional temperament--WHATS WITH ALL THE BEES ATTACKING YOU???

[@tylerwrapson9003]

They’re F1

[@bradgoliphant]

@@tylerwrapson9003 are F1 known to bee defensive like that?

[@tylerwrapson9003]

@@bradgoliphant it depends on the drone the queen mated with, could have aggressive characteristics, however other factors could also add to this such as how long you’ve been in the hive, the weather and what’s the bees are doing in general, such as swarming behaviour.

[@bradgoliphant]

@@tylerwrapson9003 Thanks Tyler, oh I get it all. I just found it intriguing that I always see his bee attacking him. And I have studied up about Buckfast queens and they are said to have some of the best temperaments out there in regard to bees. He has a lot of balls working with bees like that? I would be fearful.

[@tylerwrapson9003]

@@bradgoliphant you get used to it with time and experience, he is a very knowledgeable person. Buckfast are brilliant bees given they stay docile haha!

[@BennyBalnco2024]

Why clip them , Queen can live 2 years max . What then ? You will be queenless because the old one cant leave and she will die . I don’t like that idea and it breaks the natural cycle how God created them But I guess business is business . everyone does everything differently.