On  1 May 97 at 7:59, John Wolford wrote: Requeening
 
> Could anyone give me some insight on how to introduce a new queen to a
> colony?  I am a second year bee keeper.
>
> Do I have to find the old queen and destroy her before the introduction?
 
The best way that I have found, is to pinch the old queen 24 hours before
introducing the new queen in her cage. After pinching just drop the old
queen back in the hive.
        Remove the candy end plug, pass a thin nail or similar through the candy
to provide an easier removal. Suspend the cage, candy end down, and wire
screen on the top, as the bees need to talk to her. I have seen a video
that showed the screen pressed against the comb, no good at all.
        Check in 48 hrs, if not released then quietly let her run out.
Another even better way, make up a 3 frame nuc on top of the hive to be
requeened, double screen to ensure they cannot talk to each
other, then introduce the queen. When new brood is emerging in the nuc,
pinch the old queen, and unite with newspaper.
 
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