Re-queening a very defensive hive

[StephenT]

Two BMH queens have just been delivered all good and well. One is for a single brood in my garden so was just going to kill existing queen, pop the cage in and take tab off after 48 hours assuming all is well. The other hive is a double brood (with another demaree box on top) we look after for someone else in their garden which behaves OK until you open it up and then it's very defensive to the point of a neighbours dog being stung. Nightmare to inspect especially in a residential area. Would you just adopt the same method as on the single brood or because of their temperament, would you make up a nuc with the queen first and merge in a week or so? Any advice would be gratefully received.

 

[Swarm]

You could introduce her to the upper brood? Assuming it's a box of mainly nurse bees, you could pop in a double screen board and get her accepted there before killing the old queen and then uniting.

 

[StephenT]

You could introduce her to the upper brood? Assuming it's a box of mainly nurse bees, you could pop in a double screen board and get her accepted there before killing the old queen and then uniting.

I planned to use the frames from the top box to make the nuc anyway and so that would work but don't have a double screen board. Does there have to be a screen between them or would a solid board with an entrance work just as well?

 

[Swarm]

Solid board would work, they lose the benefit of heat from below but it's not a big deal.

 

[Antipodes]

I planned to use the frames from the top box to make the nuc anyway and so that would work but don't have a double screen board. Does there have to be a screen between them or would a solid board with an entrance work just as well?

I've sometimes just used a sheet of thick plastic (like forticon). You could poke some small holes in it I guess.

 

[StephenT]

A double screen board would be useful anyway and so I'll see if they have one in the club shop when I go later. If not then I'll use the solid board and keep it all on one stack which makes it easier for uniting.