# Bee packages arrived today !



## typhoontx (May 1, 2013)

I just recieved my 2 packages of bees from beeweaver, UPS dumped them on my front porch upside down and in a zippered fine mesh bag, I hope that doesnt mess them up to much I righted the packages and have them in a cool dark place until I can hive them later today after work. Anyone else have UPS put them in a bag like that ?, I'll try to get some pictures posted later on today

Regards, Robert


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

typhoontx said:


> I just recieved my 2 packages of bees from beeweaver, UPS dumped them on my front porch upside down and in a zippered fine mesh bag, I hope that doesnt mess them up to much I righted the packages and have them in a cool dark place until I can hive them later today after work. Anyone else have UPS put them in a bag like that ?, I'll try to get some pictures posted later on today
> 
> Regards, Robert


Probably so they get some extra "safety" in case there's a few loose bees. 

Upside down would be bad if they were like that for a long time because they wouldn't be able to get the syrup. But if it was just for awhile this morning they should be OK.

Good luck with the install and let us know how it goes!


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## typhoontx (May 1, 2013)

I work from home so they were not on the porch but a few min. , My niece wants to help install them but she can't this evening so I'll keep them in the package if they still have enough syrup left in the can and hive them tomorrow. And there is at least 1 hitchiker outside of the packages


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

How were they shipped? Overnight?


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## happyflorencebees (May 1, 2014)

I've only been brave enough to have a couple of queens shipped. The one from R Weaver had a huge gash cut in the packing envelope during transport and our driver taped it up with packing tape. She was fine, though. We've had the same UPS driver for a decade, so I warned him a week in advance that the bees were coming and what to do if we weren't home. If your delivery man is like ours, he was really spooked by having bees in his truck and wanted to get rid of them as quickly as possible. When I opened the package to make sure the queens were still alive, he jumped back and shouted, "Don't let them out!" Made me laugh, it did.


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## typhoontx (May 1, 2013)

Bees were shipped overnight so they arrived a little before 10:30 am. The drivers dropped the bees on the porch rang the doorbell and beat a hasty retreat
on 2nd day or later shipments I think I am in the last area on my drivers route so its usually after 5pm for any ups shipments I get other than next day air.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

typhoontx said:


> I work from home so they were not on the porch but a few min. , My niece wants to help install them but she can't this evening so I'll keep them in the package if they still have enough syrup left in the can and hive them tomorrow. And there is at least 1 hitchiker outside of the packages


You should really try to hive them today, even if it's dark. You get them out of the package faster, you don't have to worry about too hot or too cold or no syrup. Another bonus is there will likely be little flying at night so you basically force them into spending at least one night at their new hive.

Consider brushing some sugar syrup on the screens of the packages if nothing else just in case there's not much/any syrup left.


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## typhoontx (May 1, 2013)

I checked the syrup cans and they are still heavy with syrup but I went ahead and brushed syrup on the screen and they did lap it up. These packages are jam packed with bees very few dead on bottom. I'll brush syrup on them some more through out the day tomorrow until we hive them


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

The bees are clinging to everything so much that when you pull the syrup can or caged queen it feels very heavy. The queen cage can feel like you're playing tug-of-war with another person.


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## fruitveggirl (Mar 8, 2013)

Did you end up installing the package? How did it go? Was your queen ok?


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## mdax (Apr 29, 2013)

I purchased a couple BeeWeaver packages this year and a couple from another vendor and I was really impressed with BeeWeaver.

They definitely charge a premium however they sent them in great packaging, on time, communicated tracking numbers and the bees are great. 
BeeWeaver has the business/communicate with customer component down. I can't emphasize enough how pleased I was that they sent the bees on the exact day they said when taking the order...i know, that shouldn't be some strange or unusual deal, but they knocked it out of the park. 

The bees are very productive and built up faster than the others. They are really gentle and I've had no problems.

I really didn't need packages to expand but was testing the waters of different vendors. I would absolutely do business with BeeWeaver again....while I'll never do business with the other two vendors.


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## typhoontx (May 1, 2013)

My experience with beeweavers so far has been positive except that they did not provide the tracking number untill 2 hrs before the bees showed up, and according to UPS they were supposed to arive today , first time I've ever had anything UPS show up earlier than expected. I have not hived them yet but plan on feeding them a couple of times during the day untill we hive them this evening.


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## imthegrumpyone (Jun 29, 2013)

My first year, Got'em from B Weavers first week in April, on time and in vary good shape, will use them again, so far so good.


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## typhoontx (May 1, 2013)

Got the 2 packages hived in the TBH's. 1 queen was very active in her cage the other one was less active. Still plenty of syrup in the cans and there were not many dead bees in the packages


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## typhoontx (May 1, 2013)

Checked out the hives them morning, quite a few bees flying around and above the hives, orienting possibly ?


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

typhoontx said:


> Got the 2 packages hived in the TBH's. 1 queen was very active in her cage the other one was less active. Still plenty of syrup in the cans and there were not many dead bees in the packages


Good deal!



typhoontx said:


> Checked out the hives them morning, quite a few bees flying around and above the hives, orienting possibly ?


Keep a close eye on fighting. We assumed "orientation" the morning after we hived our package and it was pretty intense robbing. Make sure you only give them a small entrance and keep a close eye on them for bees trying to sting each other. Orientation should be pretty calm with lots of bees just kind of hovering.


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## typhoontx (May 1, 2013)

I have the entrances reduced and just went and checked again lot less bees flying around the hive now the package boxes are pretty much empty I set them in front of the hives so the bees that I couldnt get dumped out into the hives could make thier way out but there are a a few patches of bees hanging on the outside of the packge boxes. Ill bring the cages in tonight once it gets dark hopefully all the bees will be in or on the hive itself


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