Shipping Queen Bees
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Clearly mark the package so handlers know these are live. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
Shipping Queen Bees
If you ever get queen bees shipped, or have a reason to ship queen bees, this is the best example of how to ship them.
First, make sure the carrier you use knows they are on their way. A call to the local post office is usually enough. Provide the shipper’s address and the estimated delivery time. Also provide your phone number and ask them to call you as soon as the package arrives. A little jar of honey at Christmas time helps them to remember who you are.
To help this process go smoothly, this shipment included instructions on the outside of the box.
Not only does this have my phone number but a note that a call was made.(Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
If you are shipping queens, make sure your package is well-marked like this one. There is a label for the handler, a label for the post office and a note for the receiving beekeeper.
Another label reminds the recipient to get these in the hive as soon as possible. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
Inside, the queen bees are traveling with several worker bee attendants. It’s not unusual for a couple attendants to be dead upon arrival but check that the queens are still alive.
The white circles at the top of the queen box are a source of sugar to keep the bees fed on their journey. This will also buy time for the queen bees to get acclimated to their new home by spreading their pheromones for a few days. Usually by the time the sugar is eaten the queen has been accepted and the colony looks forward to welcoming her.
Queen bees with attendants and sugar plugs inside the shipping box. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
The queen boxes have been carefully glued to the cardboard so they don’t move around during shipping.
Two more labels to wrap up the shipping. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
Some shippers use only corks in the queen boxes, which means the bees need to be fed upon arrival. These bees have a candy plug that the bees will remove themselves.
And finally, an incentive to leave a good review. Unfortunately when I tried that link it did not work so don’t add something with a link without checking it.
