Packages were freshly shaken, plenty pf syrup in the can. Bees weren't the
issue, very few dead ones, cool traveling weather, perhaps the best pick up
I've ever had. The issue is with the queens: dead in cage, no interest on
the bees' part to release the queen, queens not laying, drone layers. A
producer usually includes an extra queen for every 25 packages, expecting a
few problems (4%). The numbers were closer to 20%.

Again, expediently reported queen problems got replacement queens. My
frustration is with people who wait to 4 or 5 weeks to report problems,
hence my question, "Does a date ever arrive when the buyer of packages
waits too long and forfeits replacement expectations?"

Bee biology provides a part answer. After 5 weeks the packages bees are
near the end of their lives. Even if the accept a new queen it is doubtful
they will have the life energy to carry the colony forward. Adding a new
queen at this stage may be throwing good money after bad. I appreciate
Gene's comment, "IMHO once something goes wrong there is not much you can
do besides combine the survivors and more on."

Aaron Morris - I think, therefore I bee!

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