>comb.  We have placed cardboard against the sides of the shipping
>cage to darken it and hopefully cause the bees to move into the
>lighted hive.
 
This is your mistake.  The bees want a dark hive.  It seems that most feel
the darkness of the shipping crate outweighs the foundation as far as
desirability.  Remove the cardboard from the crate and use it  to darken the
observation hive.
 
-Mike
 
(p.s. Anyone know the phone # for Weaver Apiaries in Texas?  My package bees
are 2 days late and I cant find their # to see if they've been shipped)