To clip, or not to clip, that is the question.

[Finman]

It is an established fact that clipped queens on average leave the hive later in the swarming cycle than unclipped ones, I think we can safely move on from arguing about .

Where established? What is the difference?

At least in my beeyards they have swarmed about same time, clipped or not. During last 50 years. Tens of different strains.

Clipped Carniolans swarmed 2-3weeks earlier than clipped Italians.

My friends have unclipped queens and they use to swarm at same time.

 

[MuswellMetro]

It seems I am in the minority. Thats ok. I don't mind. It seems to me that if you're testing for swarming intentions you shouldn't blind yourself to those signs. Its possible to manage swarming intentions by removing all except one frame of larvae from the flying bees (queen, brood, young bees in a box facing the other way ontop), but, I accept that everyone doesn't work like me. In fact, I'd be suprised if they did.

it must be a Bedfordshire way of doing an AS as i was taught exactly the same way by my Grandfather (he had hives at caddington, Barton le clay and shefford) i find the rear entrance really depowers the parent hive quickly

 

[B+.]

it must be a Bedfordshire way of doing an AS as i was taught exactly the same way by my Grandfather (he had hives at caddington, Barton le clay and shefford) i find the rear entrance really depowers the parent hive quickly

I agree. There is little chance of a swarm so long as you change the single comb of larvae which, after 9 days, will certainly contain emergency queen cells.
I learned the method from the IWF videos though. I tend to understand things better when I see them

 

[Finman]

I agree. There is little chance of a swarm so long as you change the single comb of larvae which, after 9 days, will certainly contain emergency queen cells.

I do not understand, why you speak about emergency cells in the case of AS.

 

[B+.]

I do not understand, why you speak about emergency cells in the case of AS.

I meant that the emergency comes from the fact that they are deprived of the queen in the bottom box. They will feed any larvae they are given

 

[Finman]

I meant that the emergency comes from the fact that they are deprived of the queen in the bottom box. They will feed any larvae they are given

But they allready have swarming queen cells.

I do not know what you are doing.
.

 

[B+.]

But they allready have swarming queen cells.

I do not know what you are doing.
.

As I described in message 47. It starts at 23:45 and ends at 29:00