This evening I checked on three packages that I installed last Sunday, and three splits that I made at the same time. First of all I had to release five of the six queens from their cages. In each case the candy plug was eaten away and the tending bees were entering and exiting the cage with no restriction, but the queen was staying in. Now this in itself would not worry me even though I have had to release only one queen out of about 50 - 60 in the past few years. I would have just figured that they would have all made there way out tomorrow and I was just lending a hand. However the sixth queen was found on the top of the frames with a circle of attending bees, she was quite dead. The thing that I found odd was the fact that I found three small patches of eggs each about 1 - 2 inches in diameter, and each on a different frame. This was a new package, so she had to have laid them. What could have happened to her? I am worried as these three packages and the three queens all came from the same supplier. I also noticed what I would consider excessive spotting on the outside of the hives of the three packages. I may be a little paranoid, however I am wondering if I have a problem with these six hives. Has anyone ever noticed if the ability of the queen to release reflect at all on her quality/health. What's up with the spotting? These packages were shaken in Georgia, USA last Thursday (so I'm told), so they should have been packaged only three to four days. And why would a queen die on top of the frames like that? I'm puzzled by all of this. All of my overwintered hives and packages installed 3 weeks ago are doing great. Those earlier packages (6) came from a different supplier. Any ideas? Thanks, Tim Damon Ann Arbor, MI - USA