Did your bee clubs package order get cut back this year ?

woodchopper · April 19, 2011, 09:06:32 PM

Guess the South is having bad weather this year and a few of the suppliers are caught between a rock and a hard place. I know it goes with the territory because this seems to happen every year in recent history. Has anyone else here experienced a late or partial order from their bee clubs supplier this year. I'm not mad, just curious. TIA

backyard warrior · April 19, 2011, 09:44:12 PM

Yes sir our order got pushed back just about a month. Thats just it what you gonna do bad weather no bees just part of the hobby. Chris

hardwood · April 19, 2011, 10:38:30 PM

Pm me if ya'll need... although we prefer you find local suppliers for your bees, we do take shipments north. I know other suppliers here that have a glut.

Scott

salvo · April 19, 2011, 11:03:25 PM

Hi Folks,

Southeast Massachusetts here. Our packages also got pushed back. Nucs came in last Saturday, only 7 days after expected, all healthy and happy, but "end of May" for packages.

Man Plans! God Laughs!

I'm gonna go capture me a swarm! :-D

Salvo

Jim Hughes · April 19, 2011, 11:57:11 PM

The local feller I get mine from got his entire order pushed back a week. 700 packages.

NW Washington.

iddee · April 20, 2011, 12:06:11 AM

Our club sent a team of 3 to pick up the packages. They arrived at 8:00 AM. After working in the bee yard helping shake packages until 6:00 PM, they got their full order. They were the only ones who didn't get shorted that day, but they earned it.

PS. They also enjoyed the day of learning in a commercial yard.

woodchopper · April 20, 2011, 06:17:04 AM

Quote from: Jim Hughes on April 19, 2011, 11:57:11 PM
The local feller I get mine from got his entire order pushed back a week. 700 packages.

NW Washington.

A week or two delay seems to happen every year. Looks like ours is going to be five weeks later than originally planned.

Jim134 · April 20, 2011, 06:53:04 AM

The local beekeeper I know got his entire order 1 week early (for 2011) 300 packages.

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

BjornBee · April 20, 2011, 07:37:02 AM

So who are those on time, a week late, and those who are a month behind?

I ordered mine from Hardemans on December 1, 2010 42 minutes after they started taking orders. They asked me what week I wanted bees. I passed on earlier dates in March and scheduled for 9 April. At this time, I am looking at 7 May, as a "we might have bees on this date" and if they do, they already stated they will cut my order in half, with the other half being ready at some future time after that.

It would not be that bad except the guy down the street, who already had his entire order filled last week by "H&R" or "H&L" (some letters like that) was allowed to add to his order with an unscheduled pickup due to extras, and is making another run tomorrow. Meanwhile Hardemans has gone to a "We don't schedule anymore....we just have a big list and fill them as we can" type setup. I sold based on marketing Hardemans, had a tentative date (I know there are always delays), and now can not even tell my customers when to expect the bees as Hardemans refuses to actually schedule a date, even though for several weeks now it's been "Maybe next week" which just seems to be pushed further and further back.

Hard to believe one supplier is on time and some have extra packages, while the guy down the road has a 5 week delay. I'm not convinced that "weather" is the main culprit. Overbooking, management, and playing favorites to long standing customers probably has something to do with it.

I'll be filling some of my earlier nuc orders well ahead of the time we may get our packages from Georgia. And we have had crappy weather as well. :roll:

danno · April 20, 2011, 08:40:28 AM

My queens are coming May 3rd. Crap!!!! Its still winter here. We got a inch of snow last night

Shanevrr · April 20, 2011, 08:43:08 AM

Quote from: Jim Hughes on April 19, 2011, 11:57:11 PM
The local feller I get mine from got his entire order pushed back a week. 700 packages.

NW Washington.

how can you afford that many packeges lol, that like 50 grand

mine was two weeks late and then got lost by ups

rgy · April 20, 2011, 09:31:54 AM

ours are one week delayed, THANKFULLY!!!! They were supposed to be here today but are pushed to next thursday. rest of the week forcast is basically lows in the 30's highs low mid 40's and rain. Starting monday it looks like highs in teh 60's and low's in the 40's with some sun. MAYBe just MAYBE spring will finally come to Michigan! Had 3 inches of snow monday morning.

Course Bee · April 20, 2011, 10:14:07 AM

Our Beekeepers Association combines our orders and our supplier who orders then from Olvirares in Northern California is shipping approximately two weeks late. They had cold rainy weather. What I've read says they are gaining on their original schedule. They can't control the weather any more than I could stop the two inches of snow we got last night.
It's just part of the fun of Beekeeping right?

Scadsobees · April 20, 2011, 12:34:55 PM

Quote from: salvo on April 19, 2011, 11:03:25 PM

Man Plans! God Laughs!

I'm gonna go capture me a swarm! :-D

Salvo

Your swarms just got pushed back by 2-3 weeks too :-P.

Hethen57 · April 20, 2011, 03:00:11 PM

Eastern WA (Packages from Northern CA) - they threatened delays, but we got ours last weekend (4/16) and were forced to install in lousy weather (lots of stings), then it rained and snowed for a few days and is in the 30's and 40's. The bees really haven't been able to do much flying since installation, but hopefully Spring will arrive in the next few weeks :?

woodchopper · April 20, 2011, 07:10:54 PM

Quote from: BjornBee on April 20, 2011, 07:37:02 AM

Hard to believe one supplier is on time and some have extra packages, while the guy down the road has a 5 week delay. I'm not convinced that "weather" is the main culprit. Overbooking, management, and playing favorites to long standing customers probably has something to do with it.

BB, I'm pretty sure your last sentence says it all. This has happened to us in 5 of the 7 years we've been keeping bees.

AllenF · April 20, 2011, 09:18:27 PM

Hardemans just sells a ton of bees. Everybody wants them and they are at a good price. Wet spring or over selling, I do not know. Winter losses or is someone out there offering up more money to buy "your" bees before they ship. Who knows. I do know most everybody is running late for some reason. I would bet on over selling the orders. But they are in business to make money.

Yuleluder · April 20, 2011, 09:25:33 PM

The pain of people cancelling their package orders.... lol Some folks just don't understand, lol.

Michael Bach · April 20, 2011, 09:27:05 PM

Mine were on time.

I use two local guys who go down to Georgia. The first shipment of 3 lb russian and 4 lb italians came in April 9th from Hardeman.

The second shipment of 4 lb italians arrives this saturday, April 23rd.

These guys bring back about 350-400 packages per trip. They pay a year in advance.

They always use Hardeman or Rossman's

AllenF · April 20, 2011, 09:34:30 PM

The good ol boy system. It's all who you know.