James Kilty wrote:
> Brave the hive twice more! Split it ... new box on the old site with one
> frame of brood so they can make a new queen ....

I agree with the moving the old hive and a nuc to catch field bees and all
that
stuff, but I think the plan to include a frame to allow the bees to raise a
new
queen is flawed.  If the hive is aggressive to the point that you're going
through
all this work to replace the queen, I'd want to get her genes out of my gene

pool.  Allowing the bees to raise queens from a nasty queen's eggs is likely
to
propogate her nasty self.  I'd find the queen (which will be easier after
moving
the original hive) and kill her.  I'd then attempt to introduce a queen from
a
reputable breeder (or one of your own raised from a better natured hive).
A pro for a queen from a breeder is it introduces new genes to your pool,
which can be a balance against inbreeding.

Taking the "remove the nasty genes from the pool" argument to its extreme,
one would also want to remove the nasty drones too.  A drone trap could be
in order, or if one is really concerned Guy's original strategy (dry ice the
hive)
may not be out of line.  It all depends on how diligent an operation is in
maintaining its queens.  If a laisse fair attitude is employed (let 'em
alone to
groe their own), then one should be more concerned with the gene pool.
On the other hand, if one tends on a regular basis to keep their queens
young
and replaced from breeders who strive to grow "good" queens for a living,
the gene pool in their yards is of lesser concern.

PS: I just reread James' post, and note that he did not say where the frame
of brood put into the nuc came from.  If it's coming from the nasty hive I
think
it's a bad plan.  If it comes from a well natured hive, the plan is sound.

The whole queen thing is a science unto itself.  There is a good article on
the
topic in the archives titled (I think) "Good Queens Don't Just Happen".
http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9803D&L=bee-l&P=R1691
The conversations arount that article is also good reading.
BEE-L Archives can be searched at:
http://listserv.albany.edu:8080/archives/bee-l.html

Cheers,
Aaron