This is a common misconception. Technically, yes, the bees can physically leave, but because of that, it’s common practice for beekeepers to clip the queen’s wings – thereby the queen can’t leave and a hive’s chance of success in swarming decreases drastically. By the nature of how bees work, it is an artificial ball and chain.
The bees are not enslaved. They can swarm and leave at any time.
This is a common misconception. Technically, yes, the bees can physically leave, but because of that, it’s common practice for beekeepers to clip the queen’s wings – thereby the queen can’t leave and a hive’s chance of success in swarming decreases drastically. By the nature of how bees work, it is an artificial ball and chain.