Shipping Queen

[Schoon]

Can anyone tell me how they ship just a queen? Do you have to be at home when it arrives? I'm suppose to get one from rossman but he didn't give me any details. Thanks

[iddee]

It varies, but usually short distances are by USPS. Hopefully, the post office will call you, but mail carriers have been known to carry them on their rounds until they are cooked. Others will bring them to you at the beginning of their shift. It depends on your carrier.

[kedgel]

As far as I know, only the USPS will ship live bees.  UPS, etc. won't.  When I've gotten a box of bees, I've had the post office hold them and notify me when they come in for me to pick up.  As for queens, they ship them in the same small queen cage that they ship in the boxes of bees.  They just stick them in an envelope and mail them.  I always ship mine to my PO box, so they stay in the A/C (it's HOT here in FL!) until I go get them since it's easier for them to miss an envelope with a couple of bees in it.  If they forget, they won't croak from the heat.  They never miss the buzzing box of bees!

Kelly

[Michael Bush]

If you let the post office know they are coming they often will call you when it shows up.  Also you can let them know what you want to do.  I would make arrangements so it isn't left in a hot mailbox in the sun.  But otherwise you don't have to be there unless that's how they were shipped (signature required).  UPS will ship bees, although it depends on who you talk to but I've gotten package bees through UPS.  I'm sure they will do queens if they will do packages.

[Schoon]

Thanks everyone.