I finally got them today and Billy and I put them in the hive with no problems. I ordered them in March at the bee school to be delivered on April 20th.
However, the bees are not what I have seen in pics nor at the Southwestern Ohio Bee open house at Parky's Park. The bees were oddly different sizes, I mean some were very tiny and some were absolutely HUGE. Also, there are not that many bees, one frame pretty busy, two very little and two nothing. There were several old (empty) queen cells on the busy frame. I had a hard time finding the queen and honestly I don't think I did, I found a bee laying eggs but it was not any bigger than the rest. It certainly looked nothing like the queen at Parky's Park last month. That queen was HUGE and laying eggs like mad. I am inclined to think its a worker bee laying eggs. Also why would I have queen cells? The Nuc was shipped yesterday! Any ideas?
I have seen here and elswhere that other people are having problems with Buckeye Bee. I am very patient in situations like this, I know what its like to overextend yourself. But this guy never called me back and sent me one reply e-mail May 1st saying he would send them that week! Now I really think he sent me the bottom of the barrel.
Honestly though getting the bees really perked my week up, I had a bad bad week and it was so exciting to get my stuff together and move the bees into the Hive, I am addicted. I even got stung on the ankle, Billy is telling everyone that makes me a real beekeeper.
Cam