Some basic queen introduction methods (push-in cage, push-in cage with
   newly emerged bees, candy-release mailing cage, Miller introduction
   cage, nucleus combination, shaking bees in front of hive) have been
   described in Contemporary Queen Rearing 1979 by Harry Laidlaw, other
   books on queen rearing ,or perhaps more recently in one of the journals.
 
   I hadn't heard of the alcohol method.
 
   I expect that someone will eventually uncover some relationship of
   formic acid to the queen recognition process. I have reports of several
   observations of temporary (a few days) apparent loss of queen
   recognition in colonies treated with this chemical for mite control.
   Sometimes the effect is recognised as death of the queen (sometimes a
   dead queen is found).
   If it could be made predictable, the technique has potential value in
   requeening colonies without finding the old queen.
 
 
   Kerry Clark, Apiculture Specialist
   B.C. Ministry of Agriculture
   1201 103 Ave
   Dawson Creek B.C.
        V1G 4J2  CANADA          Tel (604) 784-2225     fax (604) 784-2299
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