worst bee day so far

[linesman75]

I ordered a nuck with a cordonian queen...it came yeasterday and the mail man left it sitting on steps in the sun. I didnt think to much of ot I herd them buzzing when i put it in my shed. Well today affter work i went to put it in hive and dead bees all over nuck bottom. looked like brood was hatched and honey was used up.....I fellt the sickest i have ever felt sinsi i started this stuff probally onlt a hundred live bees and i didnt see queen.....aaaaaaaaaa

[Michael Bush]

Sounds like the USPS.

Sorry about your bees.

[bjerm2]

If I may say, try to hive them the way they are, mean time call the company that sent you the bees and give them the info, next contact the people who delivered the nuc. The reason I said hive them is at least you have a hive there when or if another package comes or if you catch a swarm. You can combine them using newspaper. These leftover bees may be able to make another queen. She will be of poor quality but it is better than no queen. I would also feed them, lots and lots of sugar syrup. A mixture of 2 sugars to one water, volume or weight does not matter. Good luck and sorry about your little friends.
Dan

[MountainCamp]

I always track shipments of bees and queens so that I know when they will be deliveried.

With the Post Office and UPS, I will make arrangements to pick up the package at their facility. I always call ahead to let them know that I am expecting a package. My Post Master always calls me first thing to let me know that they have arrived. With UPS, ask for the tracking number and you can follow it's progress.

If you can not make the arrangements to pick up your bees, if you contact them you can give them detailed instructions on where to leave the package.

The other thing with packages, queens, or even nucs. Feed them as soon as you get them. They have been closed in for sometime and usually need food and water.

Shipping bees this time of year is tough and the heat takes it toll on them.

[scottr]

Don't give up. I had the same thing happen to me about 1 1/2 months ago (Texas). Despite good advise to combine, I stubbornly nursed them along. I supplemented with brood from other hives and fed both sugar and paddies. Now they are doing fine.

[linesman75]

Beter news for my nuck. I don’t know if they saved some brood or what but there seems to be more population and they are working. I saw them dragging dead bees out and they were clustering. I just wish I could find that queen so I knew she was there. O well give it time and I will see larva so then I will know if she is there. PRAY FOR THE LITTLE NUC THAT COULD 

[bjerm2]

Good luck. Bees are quite amazing creatures. I think you will be surprised at how they face some big problems. I would to help them out feed 2 sugars to one water by volume to help them out. It is a thick mixture but easyer for them to work since its almost ready to be stored and does not require them to work so hard.
Dan