# Bought tubes -- but only pollen lumps, no bees?



## brac (Sep 30, 2009)

I would be asking for a full refund, including shipping cost.


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## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

did you buy with your credit card?
If yes, You have rights.
Call them.


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## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

You should _take some photos_ to prove your case. Do you have a digital camera with a 'macro' closeup setting? Most newer cameras have that.


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## BorderBee (May 5, 2010)

That's one of the downsides to buying tubes instead of cleaned and inspected cocoons. Sounds like you have some cells the pollen mites maybe got to? Or some other issue occured, tubes might have been bumped in the spring. If the egg/larva gets bumped off the food source (pollen) they can't make it back on themselves and die. 

I would certainly do a count of cocoons you did get by checking the rest. Then check their policy to see if they guarantee any number of cocoons per tube. You might be able to get some money back if you complain. 

It's also still early enough you could probably still find cocoons in time for this season from another supplier. Knox cellars or a local hobbyist could likely still help you out.


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## Seattleite (Jan 30, 2010)

Yeah, I contacted them, but no reply. Good point about the credit card.

I did find another supplier in Oregon on craigslist so hopefuly I can bump up the population.

I had a lot of pollen mites last year (~10%) but these tubes didn't have any--just pollen lumps with no sign of life. Perhaps they moved the tubes too early or handled them roughly.

I bought some cocoons from craigslist once that were cleaned and inspected, but a lot of the bees were still white immature pupae--turns out these folks had put their bees into a cool garage in early June, so they never got the heat they needed to mature.


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