Greg Lowe Here are my comments..... Option one.
1. I would think that with the cone funnel installed, and the queen not able to move back into the feral source, the feral source would immediately create queen cells and attempt to make themselves a queen, which they could do it there are viable eggs there. This would especially be true if the trap is some distance from the feral brood nest.
2. Rather than take her, then return her, then take her away again, I would just move her and start a new hive with her genetics.
3. Moving another frame of unsealed brood will just start the trapping process all over, but with a reduced number of bees in the tree. (the ones you moved).
4. I don't see any real value to moving a queen back into the trap, if the entrance is sealed with a cone funnel, or a plastic funnel. The unsealed brood will bring the nurse bees, cleaners, fanners, etc. into the trap. The queen will likely start laying eggs in the trap, but that is not really any more beneficial than just adding the unsealed brood. I'm not sure I would want to cage and release, cage and release a queen. She might just take what bees are available and leave.
I don't think it is just giving off phermones that that will keep the feral colony from starting a queen of their own. Have you ever noticed when you make a split, and you hang the queen, but they don't get her out of the tube. They will start making a queen, even tho she is right their giving off phermones. If she isn't available and laying eggs, they will attempt to supercede her.
Option 2. If a queen has been MIA for a couple of days, I would expect the colony to immediately start making a queen. Remember they only have 5 - 7 days, and then they have no viable eggs.
I am not sure that I have ever had a queen come through the funnel that I use in the trapping process. If your cone funnel is large enough for the queen to come through, it may also be large enough for bees to return to the feral colony. That would be a close call as to exact size of the cone opening.
With no more viable eggs, and no additional nectar and pollen being brought in, the colony begins to dwindle, and cannot sustain itself. Lack of bees to guard the brood comb, will make it susceptable to small hive beetles, and wax moth larve.
Other than these concerns, you have a logical thought process, and it should work.
Nothing is absolute about bees. Just when you think you have bees all figured out, they do something different. Learn a little from each trapout. Have fun. For me, that is the name of the game.
cchoganjr