In the UK on the occasions when it becomes necessary to kill a bad tempered
hive,the usual practice is to wait until evening when the bees are all in,
block  the entrance then pour half a pint of petrol in the top.  This is very
rapid and almost humane. Do I need to add that the use of a smoker is
contra-indicated when doing this?

I have no idea what this does to the comb and don't care.  The only  safe
assumption is that comb that has been bred in is contaminated to some  extent and
should be renewed, so this is an opportunity for doing so. It is not  a waste
of resources as the beeswax can be recovered and turned into value-added
products.

One reads tales of woe about the price of honey in the USA. What is the
price of beeswax?

Chris

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