> ... clipping a queen makes the other bees think something is wrong
> with the queen and they will try to kill her off and supersede her.
> ... question is, IS THIS TRUE?
 
A queen "sufficiently damaged" WILL be superseded.  A clipped wing is
not "sufficient damage" for supersedure.  Oft times the act of clipping
a queen's wings CAN cause "sufficient damage" to cause supersedure, but
that "sufficient damage" is not a clipped wing.  Perhaps the queen was
squeezed too tightly while her wings were being clipped and the tight
squeeze caused internal (such as ovary) damage.
 
As a means of swarm control, clipping a queens wings is ineffective.  A
colony with a clipped queen bent on swarming will do just that, it WILL
swarm.  The clipped queen will be unable to fly, will fall to the ground
and be lost to the swarm.  Without a queen, the swarm will return to its
hive.  A few days later after a virgin queen emerges the hive will swarm
with a virgin queen.  So clipping a queen's wings is not a swarm
prevention technique, it's a swarm delaying technique.
 
Recommended reading:
_Swarming:_It's_Control_and_Prevention_ by L.E. Snelgrove
(an oldie, but a goodie)>
 
Aaron Morris - thinking the old masters are still the best!