Author Topic: Great disappointment (Read 3379 times)

mat · « **on:** June 11, 2006, 05:58:28 pm »

Two weeks ago I brought three new nucs from Lagrant's ,Ware, MA. There were suppose to be four frames of brood and 3# of bees and queen of course. I ask to mark the queens. and the invoice says so. Each was $120. Not cheap. Today, after two weeks I checked on them. One didn't have queen at all, the other had but not marked. No eggs or open brood. Just few capped brood cells. Of four frames "with brood" two were filled with pollen. Most of the two weeks was rain, so it is impossibile they filled two frames with polen. I am quite sure there was polen from the beginning instead of brood. I do not understand how one beekipper can do such a thing to another.

Understudy · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2006, 06:21:49 pm »

Quote from: mat

Two weeks ago I brought three new nucs from Lagrant's ,Ware, MA. There were suppose to be four frames of brood and 3# of bees and queen of course. I ask to mark the queens. and the invoice says so. Each was $120. Not cheap. Today, after two weeks I checked on them. One didn't have queen at all, the other had but not marked. No eggs or open brood. Just few capped brood cells. Of four frames "with brood" two were filled with pollen. Most of the two weeks was rain, so it is impossibile they filled two frames with polen. I am quite sure there was polen from the beginning instead of brood. I do not understand how one beekipper can do such a thing to another.

When the frames arrived was there brood in them? If the bees killed the queen two weeks later there will be no brood.

Package bees don't always accept a queen. They may have killed her. it happens a lot.

In two weeks even with rain they can do a lot of pollen.

When you order a package take pictures. Two weeks can change a lot of things. I am sympathetic to you difficulties but I am not sure that it was a problem with the packages. As for the unmarked queen when you received the queen was she marked? Queens are usually shipped seperatly or in queen containers. Were the queens shipped this way?

Sincerely,
Brendhan

mat · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2006, 08:39:38 pm »

This is local, Massachusetts supplier. I brought him my hives, one deep with six frames of foundation each. He installed bees in them and called when they were ready to pick up. I brought them home, didn't disturb for two weaks, just fed them sugar. Should be four frames of brood and about 2-3 # of bees, and queens. What I found two weeks later I wrote. If it was four frames of brood, after emerging there should be deep full of bees. They were covering just six frames.

Understudy · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2006, 08:52:43 pm »

Quote from: mat

This is local, Massachusetts supplier. I brought him my hives, one deep with six frames of foundation each. He installed bees in them and called when they were ready to pick up. I brought them home, didn't disturb for two weaks, just fed them sugar. Should be four frames of brood and about 2-3 # of bees, and queens. What I found two weeks later I wrote. If it was four frames of brood, after emerging there should be deep full of bees. They were covering just six frames.

Lesson for the future. You should have inspected the boxes before leaving his property. For what you paid you should have been shown what you were getting.

Bees take time to build up. I have never had a frame built up faster than a week from foundation. Also if there is no queen build up will decrease dramatically.

But after two weeks even with a good queen , good weather and good plants you might have six frames.

The gold plated rule for bees. Bees require patience. You can't rush them.

I literally heard at my last beekeeper meeting someone say you have to train your bees, I almost flew out of my chair laughing so hard. It is a wonder I am allowed out in public sometimes.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Kirk-o · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2006, 09:07:15 pm »

Always inspect it keeps the honest people honest.It isn't like the 70's bees up the wazooo .I think the mite treatments are taking there toll all I get is swarms and wild bees .Every time I by Queens I have problems.Get enough hives and fellow beekeepers were you can manage and manipulate them to your own needs .And most of all read everything Mike Bush has on his site
kirko

Kirk-o · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2006, 09:07:20 pm »

Always inspect it keeps the honest people honest.It isn't like the 70's bees up the wazooo .I think the mite treatments are taking there toll all I get is swarms and wild bees .Every time I by Queens I have problems.Get enough hives and fellow beekeepers were you can manage and manipulate them to your own needs .And most of all read everything Mike Bush has on his site
kirko

Zoot · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2006, 10:30:44 pm »

Regarding the queen you observed with no marking - I marked one of my queens this spring and 2 weeks later about 90% of it had flaked off. It was a solid mark with a testor's pen. When I saw her I thought she was a new queen however improbable that may have been but upon closer scrutiny I observed a tiny spec of the original paint.

Jay · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2006, 11:21:31 pm »

I have dealt with Frank and Burnadette (the Lagrants) in Ware. I have bought a nuc from them and that hive is still strong today. They have good bees and are honest people. Have you called them and explained what you found? They will make it right by you. In all this crazy weather we've been having, where the bees are all cooped up for days on end, there's no telling what will happen inside the hive. These conditions in spring are ripe for swarming but a new nuc shouldn't swarm this soon. Call Frank and Burnadette and see what they say. :D

mat · « **Reply #8 on:** June 12, 2006, 08:17:17 am »

I bought two nucs from them last year and they did very well. This year is completely diffrent bees. Yes, Iwill be calling them today.

Chad S · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2006, 12:42:10 pm »

Hey Matt,

Sorry to hear your news. I know you were pumped up this spring to expand your operation. I can't imagine the Lagrants would intentionally do something that was dis honest. A lot of things could have happened that would explaine the disparity between what you recieved, and what you have today. The weather has been Crappy! to say the least it's been a tough early summer.

I would urge you though to work things out with the Lagrants before taking it to the internet. It is not fair to damage a persons reputation with out having given them a chance at making things right with you. You are far better off with Frank as a local resource for years to come than creating a riff between you two.

I get down your way a lot maybe some time I could come see your bee yard.

Chad

mat · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2006, 01:34:35 pm »

You may be right, may be I was to quick. Probably I should have swallow that. I am planning to put those virgins in the nucs, to give them time and I have already ordered new , laing queens from Donn Conlon. I am picking them up tomorow morning. I want those hives to get in power asap. I have very good flow in August/September.
And you are invated any time.

Chad S · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2006, 01:47:20 pm »

Dan is a great guy. I called him about queens for my two hives that had swarmed. Dan advised that the queen cells that were left behind should raise fine queens. Dan could have sold me queens, but said give it a couple of weeks, and see if they don't sort things out. I might add that Mrs. Lagrant gave the same advise when I called over there looking for queens.

I often ask myself what would Finsky do in this situation? I think you might want to consider cutting your losses, and combining hives. You can always split them back out next year. Nursing 4 hives through the season might be far less productive than making two strong hives.

Lets hope for a strong late season flow!

Chad