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General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #12729  by Alfred
 28 May 2022, 12:16
And of course you can amputate a leg easily when clipping freehand
My only worry with clipped queen's is I'm rarely on hand to pick them up before the local wildlife does.
I'm sure I saw an old B+w photo of a row of hives with long ramps down to the ground - presumably to allow them to walk home
 #12735  by NigelP
 28 May 2022, 18:28
Alfred wrote:
28 May 2022, 12:16

I'm sure I saw an old B+w photo of a row of hives with long ramps down to the ground - presumably to allow them to walk home

Old Photo is Buckfast Abbey apiary, Brother Adam's hives.

JoJo not sure what you mean by queen marker?

Image
 #12736  by JoJo36
 29 May 2022, 06:32
Nigel, Great pic and I like the ramps!
When I say queen marker I meant plunger thing I've ordered which you reckon could squash the queen if too much pressure, I suppose its just trying to be gentle like with the crown of thorns!
I find with the crown of thorns I end up marking half a dozen workers too and the wings of the queen!!
Good job I'm not a surgeon!!! :)
My hive that I dumped the swarm I think have murdered the queen so I took a long sealed queen cell out of another one on snelgrove and put back to leave them to it??!! It's like a juggling process.......
 #12737  by Liam
 29 May 2022, 15:49
NigelP wrote:
27 May 2022, 20:05
Liam wrote:
27 May 2022, 17:47

Every queen I have ever clipped got superseded. I know so many do clip but for me it just doesnt work :( . I now only replace like for like, kinda wish I didnt have such bad experiences with clipping as would love to try again.
Interesting point Liam, What strain of queens are you dealing with? I'm using Keld Brandstrups Buckfast queens and their progeny open mated in my apiaries. I also don't clip or mark this years mated queens until next spring which may (or may not) be a factor.
I have ged Marshall and some buckfast from BShoney as I find them very productive and calm. I did try my locals but they swarm so much with little production. I have a few island mated queens coming this year from buckfast.dk which i believed are Keld Brandstrups Buckfast strain that I hope I can do some breeding from after testing. I have only tried introducing clipped queens to colonies (always 100% superceded asap) and clipping queens in the first year, maybe will try an older queen but i generally dont keep them long.
 #12738  by NigelP
 29 May 2022, 16:32
JoJo36 wrote:
29 May 2022, 06:32

When I say queen marker I meant plunger thing I've ordered which you reckon could squash the queen if too much pressure, I suppose its just trying to be gentle like with the crown of thorns!
It was why I recommended the Thornes twist and turn as you cannot crush the queen as the foam pad stops short of the barred marking/clipping area. Then you can twist/turn the plunger until the queen is where you want her to be.
As for marking, crown of thorns every time. It allows you to trap queen and gives you time get your pen sorted and so on as there is now no rush. If you are careful sometimes you can turn it so her wing slips through the mesh and can be clipped.....sometimes..
What I would suggest if you have ordered the long plunger one is to shorten the stem so you can place it all upright and the there is gap (about a queens width, between the plunger top and mesh marking/cutting area. I must confess I bought one of those to start with but found it quite awkward, compared to the twist and turn ones. However, you may find it suits you down to the ground....we are all different.
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