Russell Apiaries

[KevinR]

Russell has always responded to my PM's on the forums, but I can't say the same for emails to the website asking about products, shipping quotes or queen dates. I ended up ordering 20 queens from other producers.

If they are that covered up, I think it's time to hire some temps to answer the phone/email. That or Russell can barter queens/bees with me for a new website that can handle some of the heavy lifting.

[seal62]

Another thread spinning out of control . I'm regretting i was a participant when i know better . Watch a bee vid and chill a bit . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiyJj...DXqvTRtCmA3FEg

[Arkansas Beekeeper]

We ordered 10 nucs from Russell several months ago for early spring delivery. No confirmation. We have left several voice messages. No answer. We have emailed several times. Unanswered. I recognize that this is not Wal-Mart but what the heck. Nice web site. No problem processing payment. If you have mastered the technology to produce web sites and process payments. ANSWER THE PHONE OR SEND AN EMAIL.

[beeG]

Have issues with southern women too huh. Trust me, that doesnt bother me at all. Just remember that you have a lot of members that are women and a lot that are southern that are reading this too.

I am in on that count twinkie ..Proud Southern Woman ( Non-union) here... I have your back

[Greg Lowe]

Had trouble posting a response. But I sent an email inquiry to the email address listed on the "Contact" page of their website earlier today about an order and received a very timely response. I am MOST satisfied with my experience
Thank you VB at Russell Apiaries!

[amethysta]

Had trouble posting a response. But I sent an email inquiry to the email address listed on the "Contact" page of their website earlier today about an order and received a very timely response.

Feh. I did the same thing about an order that I placed in November and have not heard anything back yet.

[Gypsi]

I ordered woodware in early January, and by late February hadn't seen it. Emailed, they refunded my paypal but let me know they would still ship my woodenware when it came in. I needed stuff built so I got a bunch from Dadant - a friend picked it up in Paris and saved me the shipping. I got a surprise visit from UPS today - from Russell Apiaries. Big box of woodenware. (order was about a hundred dollars.) No advance notice. Now I can see if this were queens it might be a problem, many days I am on the road until quite late, and a queen sitting in my mailbox would be cooked. But because I know this if I did order Russell queens I'd merge my order with a friend who is at home more, let them receive and call me. And one day, I will order Russell queens.

The quality of the product and the quality and quantity of communication aren't the same thing.

Gypsi

[Brackishwater]

The state of Mississippi requires certification to sell Bee's and Queens. Might want to stick with the folks on the list. Here's the link to the list that was updated Nov. 2011. Our state inspector for the southern district is Charles Wilson 601-544-3866 or email: Charles@mdac.state.ms.us

http://www.mdac.state.ms.us/departme...acked_bees.pdf

[Gypsi]

Since my first choice for bees would be Texas suppliers, I see no reason to read the Mississippi list. If I got a Russell queen she would be a very special purchase indeed, and nothing would convince me to buy any other breed.

[RiodeLobo]

I am also a very happy Russell Apiaries customer. In my limited experience they are the best queens I have owned. The service was great, as they delayed my order at my request to accommodate changes in my schedule due to the delay in the availability of nucs and when there was an issue with the order they not only made it right they included several extra queens to compensate. If I have any negatives in service it would be the delay in response time, but when I was contacted back the results were beyond satisfactory.
I have ordered more queens for this spring and will continue to use them in the future.

PS checked the hives at lunch. 45F and overcast with light wind. 5 for 5 working and 3 really getting after it. All Russell's.

[NDnewbeek]

The state of Mississippi requires certification to sell Bee's and Queens. Might want to stick with the folks on the list. Here's the link to the list that was updated Nov. 2011. Our state inspector for the southern district is Charles Wilson 601-544-3866 or email: Charles@mdac.state.ms.us

http://www.mdac.state.ms.us/departme...acked_bees.pdf

I wondered about that when I saw this list earlier in the year. Can you sell queens in MS without being on this list? And if not, how is Russell able to sell queens?

Or is this 'registration' optional?

[TwinkieBee]

He doesn't produce queens in Mississippi. His home is here so there is an office here and a research yard here. Mississippi is where his dad's operation was. Robert has always had bees all over. Robert's brother killed almost all of his dad's hives by stealing nucs out of them during beetle season. His dad asked Robert to step in and save what was left when he found out what the brother was doing. Then Robert's dad passed away and Robert still keeps up the last few hives that his dad had for sentimental purposes and uses them to study different issues so that other people can use the research to keep their bees alive. The bees that Robert's brother took are all dead now.

For what its worth brackishwater, the research yard was inspected this season by the director of bpi and was approved. Russell will be on that list soon just to stop people from spreading confusion like that.

[TwinkieBee]

Bgee and gypsi, right on girls!

Amethysta, send me a pm with your name and question if you haven't heard anything back from the email yet.

Everyone, there is a page on our site called "Shipping & Dates" that has the answers to most of the questions that we receive. There is also a category called "Updates" in our forums that can answer even more questions. Take a look at these places to see if your questions have already been answered before emailing or calling please. Thank you!

[NDnewbeek]

He doesn't produce queens in Mississippi. His home is here so there is an office here and a research yard here. Mississippi is where his dad's operation was. Robert has always had bees all over. Robert's brother killed almost all of his dad's hives by stealing nucs out of them during beetle season. His dad asked Robert to step in and save what was left when he found out what the brother was doing. Then Robert's dad passed away and Robert still keeps up the last few hives that his dad had for sentimental purposes and uses them to study different issues so that other people can use the research to keep their bees alive. The bees that Robert's brother took are all dead now.

TwinkieBee -

Thank you for the clarification. That makes sense. Do you know where his yards are where he produces his queens?

Mike

[BoTBees]

I did not have success with Russell,

[wildbranch2007]

Robert still keeps up the last few hives that his dad had for sentimental purposes and uses them to study different issues so that other people can use the research to keep their bees alive.

the research yard was inspected this season by the director of bpi and was approved. Russell will be on that list soon just to stop people from spreading confusion like that.

Since Russell doesn't post here any more, could you answer a question for me, in the research yard last year Russell was experimenting with treating AFB hives with toslin and monitoring them to see if it returns. Since it was inspected can I assume that the treating with toslin cured the afb or did he end up burning the hives? thanks

[TwinkieBee]

ND, there are mating and selection pool yards in 14 states. The acclimation program is expanding this season also. Robert Hughes was telling me that by the end of this season Russell should have selection pools in 46 of the 50 states being specifically selected for success within each state.

Wildbranch, I will ask him. I know that the hives are all still alive and look very good. They have a big red stripe across the lid and I have seen guys taking samples from them a lot since last season. I don't know exactly what they have found yet but will ask and post about it.

[MichaBees]

Can anyone tell me how to get the rest of my wood ware I ordered in December?
Emails to the site do not work
Emails to Dr. Russell are not answered
Postings on his site just disappear...

Are the Mayan prophesies real?
Have the predictions taken their first victims for 2012?
Is this a case of SCD? (Supplier Collapse Disorder)

[kenr]

Folks they've had another big hit with the weather lost the main office and from what I've read stopped all queen shipments until the 16th of this month was expecting six queens last week for splits and knew I wasn't going to get them so I went ahead and split my hives.

[BGhoney]

I ordered 9 queens from Russel Apiaries the 8 weeks ago, delivery for the second week of april. I emailed them again beginning of this week, no response . Just tried calling and there voice mail is full and no longer recieveing messages. Thats kinda nice, do I wait for there queens to maybe show or get some coming from someplace else and hope theres dosn't. I would think I would of gotten an email about a shipping date by now..I've heard they have great queens, but I'm not impressed with the service..

The Queens are not late at this point, checking there web site there shipping dates are the same. I'm just wondering if they ever got my order in the first place. I'll wait a week and see if I hear anything.