Quality of Heat Stressed Queens
Posted: May 9th, 2018, 7:17 pm
I had a 30 queen order to be delivered today via UPS, and the queen supplier sent 32 queens.
I was out pulling brood making up nucs to get ready for the queens. I got back to the house 2 hours after the queens were delivered, according to UPS tracking data.
The box is clearly marked, Live Queen Bees, Keep at Room Temperature, Keep Out of Sun.
Both my front and back decks have a roof over them. The steps leading up to the deck however, are in full sun.
Guess where the UPS driver left the queens? You got it. Right on the steps to the deck, in full sun.
If he carried it another 3 seconds he could have set it by the front door, and it would have been out of the sun. But did they do that? Nope.
Another 10 seconds, and he could have carried it to the back deck. But did they do that? Nope.
My driveway comes to the side of the house, so either the front of back door was easily accessible.
14 queens were dead. About half the remaining queens were still alive. The other half were barely moving. Most of the attendants were dead.
I got them put in nucs trying to save the queens.
Even if they live, does heat stressing them to near death affect their longevity or quality? Or are they pretty much toast?
I was out pulling brood making up nucs to get ready for the queens. I got back to the house 2 hours after the queens were delivered, according to UPS tracking data.
The box is clearly marked, Live Queen Bees, Keep at Room Temperature, Keep Out of Sun.
Both my front and back decks have a roof over them. The steps leading up to the deck however, are in full sun.
Guess where the UPS driver left the queens? You got it. Right on the steps to the deck, in full sun.
If he carried it another 3 seconds he could have set it by the front door, and it would have been out of the sun. But did they do that? Nope.
Another 10 seconds, and he could have carried it to the back deck. But did they do that? Nope.
My driveway comes to the side of the house, so either the front of back door was easily accessible.
14 queens were dead. About half the remaining queens were still alive. The other half were barely moving. Most of the attendants were dead.
I got them put in nucs trying to save the queens.
Even if they live, does heat stressing them to near death affect their longevity or quality? Or are they pretty much toast?