> Why is everyone talking about killing a colony?  Is it not possible to requeen and accomplish the same goal (of presumably removing some less desirable trait)?

No. African colonies are notoriously difficult to requeen.  The brood contains thousands of eggs and larvae, many of which could quickly be transformed into African queens. 

If the colony is already involved in stinging incidents or is in a location where it is liable to be quite soon, the smart move is to get rid of it ASAP. 

PLB

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