Caucasian Queen Breeder

[Michael Prater]

Has Anyone had any Luck with getting Bolling Bee to respond to them ? I have Called and left messages and E-Mailed them and NO responce... I have done this for two (2) years and can't figure what is going on!!

[Kieck]

From what I've read about Bolling Bee, consider yourself lucky that you're getting no response before you send them money. Others have complained in the past about sending money, then getting no response.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193112&highlight=Bolling+Bee
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190837&highlight=Bolling+Bee

Try a search for "Bolling Bee." It should turn up lots of info on service others have received in the past.

[Jesse]

I've heard good things about long creek apiaries - they are in tenn. and have caucasians

[CSShaw]

The guy at long creek seemed nice, but Bolling bee got my money. Now i am left to wonder if i will get my queens in May? Does anyone know the newspaper where this guy lives, this Mr. livings? I think there needs to be some print on this guy. We need a list of breeders with a link of customer satisfaction right next to it. I would have known more had that been the case.

If you are a stinker breeder reading this, you need to know this: I can publish what your customers report regarding your business practices and then you can try to sue me. I think every single fly by night, no answer the phone, never send the product breeder needs to be right there in print, so we can aid you in researching exactly what ETHICS mean. It is very obvious why some of you do not advertise in the journals, you can't, you have done wrong and you can not get ad print. Well i think you deserve print, just not ad.

Chirssy Shaw

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>We need a list of breeders with a link of customer satisfaction right next to it. I would have known more had that been the case.

This is one of the reasons we have the Consumer Report Forum. If you have something to say about a product or a supplier, that is the place to say it.

[russbee]

I had the same communication problem as well with Bolling Bee. It took months to get a reponse. I don't know why? I have had so far a very positive experience with long creek.

[Grant]

A couple of years ago I ordered queens from Bolling. They all arrived dead. Thankfully, they were insured. The good news is he did fulfill my order.

Because of the dollar amount of the order, I had to write to the regional branch of the post office to get my insurance money. I needed the receipt from Bolling showing they were insured.

After many phone calls and e-mails, (granted, during a very busy time of year), the receipt showed up in the mail and I was able to process my claim.

Another local beekeeper I started mentoring ordered himself a one package from Bolling that same year. It arrived several weeks late, and half of the bees were dead on the bottom of the cage. I didn't want to handicap this first-year beekeeper or add to his frustration so I just gave him a nuc from my supply. We poured in the remaining bees at the entrance. The queen was dead in the cage in that package.

I have no personal beef with this guy, but I'm not going to do business with him, nor would I repeat business with anyone, local or mail-order, who would not stand behind their quality.

Surely there are better producers and dealers. I'm not sure how this guy stays in business.

Grant
Jackson, MO

[bleta12]

When we are dealing with nature, thinks may not go as planed. But lack of communication is not exceptable. The best way to handle it is not to do business with people like that. That is the same principle that naturally happens in bees. If a colony does not perform, the bees supersede the queen.

[mobees]

I ordered a few years ago, when the new guy took over. He seemed
like a nice guy over the phone and was helpful.

Only 1 arrived dead. They didn't seem to over winter very well, and
the TM's ate um up, so I gave up on getting more.

Then I heard from a source that there was a SHB infestation at the breeding
yard. The whole story is probably searchable. Beesource is a fantastic reference
and the old posts can be valuable history.

[CSShaw]

He did not seem to have a problem cashing my check. It seems this is a long history of near or actual fraud. Cavet Emptor, i understand, but that does not excuse a lack of ethics. It just is this simple, if you one time take money and then do not provide the product, that is simple theft by means of fraud. I once had a friend who ordered 250 queens from a huge ad in on of the magazines, every single one of those queens were unmated and too old to mate. That was the last year that business was around. The Internet is why this guy can continue. I really should not have to do background checks on every single order i place. I need the variations in the caucasian lines left in the US, not an oh well!

Chrissy

[CSShaw]

The outfit that sold those virgins were out of business that year.

CS

[thomas]

Hello

You may want to check out long creek apiaries they have caucasins i have three packages coming the first week in may. I found them in the beesource part on bees dealers the guy has some of the originals bees from boiling bee when the other owner was running it.

Tom

[CSShaw]

Yes, i spoke with him along the line. He said he could mate the caucasians in the Russian drone stock and from what i see of that combination i sure do like. Let me know how it goes for you and if everything is up and up. My bees just hate it when i promise them a clean split without a queen.

Chrissy

[thesurveyor]

Ordered a package from Long Creek today. They say package due here on the first week of June. I will probably have to feed them all summer long, but it they are as good as advertised it will be worth it.

They seem to be super people. Will report when package arrives.

TheSurveyor

[thomas]

Hello

I see you guys have placed orders i am getting mine next mnoth so i will be keeping you all up to date on how they perform. And his prices are not bad either i may be dealing with him from now on but it all depends on these three pacckages i am getting in may.

Tom

[King bee apiary]

Has anyone actually ordered from Bolling Bee this year? I know local people close to him are being put on hold this year..

[CSShaw]

I ordered five queens due next week, he does not answer his phone, respond to emails, but seemed to have no problems cashing my check, so i assume he still is doing promptness upon incoming cash.

Chrissy Shaw

[Keith Benson]

One should never assume.

Keith

[CSShaw]

I know from my checking account balance that the fellow is making it to the bank.

Chrissy

[Keith Benson]

Indeed. FWIW his bees are nice. I got three healthy packages with nice queens from him last year.

Keith

[CSShaw]

I hope all works on this, but my concern is in the amount of complaints over years. That is not a real good sign in business. When i see one or two complaints i think it could be the customer, when i see the amount from various people then my red flag goes up. This time of year my own hands are dried and near to bleeding from hard labor on a daily basis. Everyone of my clients always get exactly what they need when they need it, even when it means i suffer as a result. If i know in the future that there will be time i need to finish a project, they know it many days or weeks before and if their need exceeds my own, then they get placed up front. As a result, my clients always have good things to say about me and i have no room for new clients.

That is my business model, customer first, access to me for assurances and needs to be presented, an open door so they know what they need will be provided. After that, then it becomes about money. Almost all the breeders i have dealt with over the years have had this or even higher standards for business and i notice there is not one complaint here regarding any of them.

Chrissy Shaw

[BeeAware]

Where is this breeder located? I think this is the one that I had problems with a few years ago and dropped like a hot potato. I can't say for sure its the same company, cause I don't know where the one you refer to is located.

[CSShaw]

He sent part of my money back, covering charges i would suppose? He said weather and pestilence were his problems. Once again, we all have runs of bad luck, but in four years time one would think that one might hone supply towards demand and hold a line on orders, i ordered in Feb. This is contrary to the service i have gotten over many, many years from the vast majority of breeders i have dealt with.

Chrissy Shaw

[BeeAware]

I didn't want to post anything until I was sure who you were dealing with. It is common knowledge in my area that this breeder does not provide much customer service. Has bad reputation here. I've had packages ordered from a Georgia supplier since January that were to ship April 9 but still have not. Can't even get a promised ship date. In the future, I'll be ordering packages, but not from either of these two.

[Keith Benson]

I hope all works on this, but my concern is in the amount of complaints over years.

I would also be concerned. It took a registered letter with a deadline to get my bees.

I think the guy got himself in over his head, but that is merely my speculation.

Keith

[King bee apiary]

I do not think he is even filling local orders this year very much..Time to back up and go a different direction for him.For everyone else I hope you can still find bees somewhere.

I was told the guy(can't remember his name but I'm sure someone on here remembers it.) that sold him Bolling Bees is starting back up in south Alabama and has an apprentice in south Mississippi.With an almost pure stock of Caucasians,near black to gray..

Check with Hy Tech(hi tech) on beekeepers voice.... http://www.beekeepersvoice.com/

[CSShaw]

and claimed he could not, "help pestilence and weather." I guess that is quite a storm to last all these years.

From his own lips he had gone to the Holmans to keep his line going. He never updated the website to include his taking the business over either. I see another thread regarding Norman's, that is an old problem too, but at least Norman's rather warns you with the price. With Norman's i did business exactly once at .75 cents a queen.

Thanks KBA

Chrissy Shaw