Has anyone else tried the matchbox method for introducing a queen? The
old queen is removed and the new one is placed in the hive in a
matchbox with the entrance open just enough for contact but not enough
for entry or exit. The workers chew away the cardboard (the matchbox
must be cardboard, not wood!) and the queen gets out, having been
introduced to her new step-daughters gently. I once did this by
placing the box on the alighting board so I could see the action. It
took about 15 minutes for the workers to make a large enough gap for
them to go in and the queen to emerge, and she calmly walked into the
hive.
Chris
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