Re-Queening a Trap Out Hive - while still in progress?

[GDRankin]

I had a bit of a unique situation with a customer needing removal of multiple colonies and the kicker is that they are located a couple hours drive away from me. I left the shop expecting cut-outs and as it turned out, they needed one cut out and two trap outs.

I had three complete hive set-ups with me and was able to get all three done in one trip. However, since I didn't know ahead of time that I would need a frame or two for the trap outs, I ended up having to use a couple of frames from the cut out for the donor "egg frames" in the traps.
Since these are all in the deep south in AHB territory, and the donor hive was a bit on the nasty side, I'm considering re-queening the traps while still on location. (they are in an area where there is foot traffic as well as mowers and trimmers weekly)

However, I've never tried this before. I usually use a donor frame from a gentle hive, so the emergency queen is of a gentle nature. Now my concern is this . . . will removing the current queen (emergency queen they made from nasty donor eggs) be a problem in terms of the colony accepting a new queen?

My thinking is that it should be fine, but I thought I'd run it by you folks to see if anyone has experience with this type situation before I ditch the existing queens and blow $30 each on a couple of new queens.

Any info / input is appreciated!
Thanks,
GD

[iddee]

It would probably work, but my question would be WHY??  I wouldn't trade one cutout queen for 3 store bought queens.  You can always requeen after they show what they are like.

[GDRankin]

Heya Iddee,

The why is because I'm conderned about what the temperment of the new trap hives will be once they get a little size to them. Since the donor eggs came from the feral hive on the same property, I'd assume the new queens they make will be fine and well suited for the area. However, that was a fairly hot colony when I was doing the removal that these eggs came from, so I'm guessing the trap hives may display a very similar temperment once they get the brood box towards full.

If the trap out bait hives were far enough away from everything, I agree that waiting would be the obvious choice. But with me being a couple of hours away, should someone disturb the bait hives, I'm not sure how they will react and I would not be able to assist very easy, should the need arrise. As you can see in the photo, this one is right next to a sidewalk and in an area they need to keep mowed weekly. The other one is more out of the way on the back of a house, but still mowing needs to happen there and it's only about 5 foot off the ground.

It's been about 4 weeks since these were set and I haven't been back yet to check on them in person. (talked on the phone with the yard man and he said all looks well from the outside) I'm planning a trip soon and it occured to me that now may be as good a time as any to re-queen these two hives.

Thanks again,
GD
PS. Thanks Iddee for providing us all of your instructional information on your proven method. Most appreciated!

[iddee]

4 weeks. Your new queens MAY have started laying in the last 2 or 3 days. Probably 2 more weeks before her egg numbers are up. 3 more weeks before a significant number have emerged. 2 more weeks before they take flight.

That's about 7 more weeks before the new queen's bees will have any effect on the immediate neighborhood.

I have pinched mean queens before and let them raise their own. The daughter's progeny was normally very gentle.

It is  August, and as the flow slows, all hives get testier. The cutout could be just the season.

I would still give them a chance.

PS. Thanks for the kudos.

[GDRankin]

That all makes sense to me.
Sounds like the logicial thing to do is let the existing queens alone, for the time being anyway.
Hopefully we'll get some rain one of these days and make everyone a little less testy ;)

Thanks again,
GD