Not very satisfied!

[jimbeekeeper]

, but what if you've driven half way across the country,e.

No problem with that.

I have had plenty of people off this forum do that with my bees, in fact one guy is travelling nearly 3 hours down from the boarders on Monday to pick up 4 of my nucs.

Does he have to buy them no. Will he get a full inspection, yes.

OK will not get 100% of the bees, but even at 6-7pm an inspection as you transfer frames over, looking for all the keep points and of course the queen, lid on, a cup of tea and a chat and 30 mins later seal box up and away.

90%+ of bees.

Whats wrong with that?

But like wise quite correct, seller has a duty, but also a buyer.

My rule is, if I would not have it as a nuc I will not sell it. In fact I have delayed people tacking nucs because I am not happy with the nuc or buyers knowledge (still doing course etc)

 

[markrogers]

your post

jim

why don't you post your approx location and number of hives?

surely that isn't asking too much if you are selling nukes?

mark

 

[jimbeekeeper]

surely that isn't asking too much if you are selling nukes?

mark

Because they are all sold (pending collections ) weeks ago.

And I placed an add as usual listing full spec.

2011

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10635

2010

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5033

 

[theengraver]

at the end of the day a nuc is a box with frames in it with some bees
the box does not have a list of contents on it
saying this box contains
bla bla bla
if it did and it did not contain the list of contents
then you can scream

if a bad beekeeper says do you want to buy a box it has frames in it and some bees
thats what you have bought end of story!!
Who knows the seller might not be able to read so the BBKA guide lines mean nothing
the buyer seems not to have bothered reading them.

 

[HelenX]

Update!

Phew! - What a lot of discussion I seem to have generated! I did promise to report back:

Firstly to those pointing out that I should have looked more carefully - you are absolutely right - I should have had more sense. I had been told to take my suit so I could look at them, but in the event the supplier had booked me at the same time as three other customers, and I was made to feel as though I was taking up too much time. The frames were propolised together, there was no hive tool around (yes, I should have taken my own!) - so I have learned a lesson.

Secondly to those who answered my question - which was whether I should get in touch with the supplier or whether I should just accept the situation - thank you for your encouragement. I did not complain as strongly as some of you suggested, because I know I should have inspected them at the time and asked more questions.

I did though complain about two points - the first, and main one, was the lack of stores. I have been told that this is all down to my inexperience and I should know I need to feed them - I DON'T LIKE BEING PATRONISED! Of course I need to feed them - but I didn't pay that money for one of my five frames to be empty comb, did I?

I also mentioned the newly introduced queen - I did not complain about it, just that I felt I should have been told exactly what i was getting. I though I was quite polite about it. The reply came back that:

"A queen with her progeny in June is called a colony – not a nucleus. Because the only way to make a nucleus from a colony is to remove frames and discard at this time of year. We like all other major suppliers can’t do that otherwise we wouldn’t be left with any colonies. Again experience will help you understand that"

So the result of my own ASs, currently on about 6 frames, are not nucs then???

To be fair, he did offer to let me send them back for a full refund - but as I said in my reply, it is not the bees I am complaining about!

Thanks again to all of you - I have learned a great deal from this (more about how not to buy anything than about bees).
I did my beginners course through the winter, but I have learned an enormous amount from everybosy on here - I have been lurking for months (and had helpful answers to a really stupid question early on!)

Helen

 

[greatbritishhoney]

The suspense is killing me....do we get to know the name of the supplier now that we know what their response was?

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Sounds like you are doing great on your own anyway.

 

[Poly Hive]

Things are now a bit clearer.

I completely agree that an empty frame is not acceptable. When you said no stores I thought brood and no stores not an empty frame full stop.

As for this nonsense...."A queen with her progeny in June is called a colony – not a nucleus. Because the only way to make a nucleus from a colony is to remove frames and discard at this time of year. We like all other major suppliers can’t do that otherwise we wouldn’t be left with any colonies. Again experience will help you understand that"

Utter rubbish and you have my full permission to quote me.

A nuc is five frames of brood or less and a colony 6 or more. Unless something drastic has changed and I never got the letter?

PH

 

[HelenX]

This is a familiar tale of disappointment, and I'm willing to bet you drove across the country to collect them. The poorly made-up nuc with hastily introduced queen, sold to beginners, is something of a trademark of one particular outfit. In your case you were fortunate not to have been issued with instructions to release the queen from her cage after two days...

QUOTE]

Yes - I am disappointed, and the picture you paint is exactly right!
I would not have been told the queen was recently introduced if I had not heard the person ahead of me ask about releasing the queen (as I now discover it says on the "how to introduce your nuc" section of their website) and being told "it's OK, we have already done it" - so then I asked.

Yes - he assumed I was a complete beginner (I was when I ordered and paid in February -I have learned no end since then - I now have 5 various sized colonies)

Yes - we drove 3h30 each way (with an overnight stop to visit our son - so not just for the bees)

I am hesitating about naming - because the problem is not quite as bad as some have assumed - I almost kept quiet and accepted that I had made a mistake, but decided to ask here for advice about whether to complain. I am now more annoyed than I was before though, given the patronising tone of the reply I received - so I may be persuaded.

Feel free to advise me whether to publish!
Helen

 

[HelenX]

That's five before these two - better update my profile!
H

 

[John M]

...

Thanks again to all of you - I have learned a great deal from this (more about how not to buy anything than about bees).
I did my beginners course through the winter, but I have learned an enormous amount from everybosy on here - I have been lurking for months (and had helpful answers to a really stupid question early on!)

Helen

Thanks Helen. I am at a similar stage to you (including the lurking!) and I have learned loads from this thread.

 

[oliver90owner]

do we get to know the name of the supplier now that we know what their response was?

I think the response was patronising, non apologetic and frankly poor as well as incorrect in some parts. For instance a nuc is a colony, albeit a small one.

I happen to already know who the supplier was, but will not be revelaling that information to any third parties unless Helen chooses to name them.

RAB

 

[the worker and the drone]

Publish publish publish!

 

[Chris B]

"A queen with her progeny in June is called a colony – not a nucleus. Because the only way to make a nucleus from a colony is to remove frames and discard at this time of year. We like all other major suppliers can’t do that otherwise we wouldn’t be left with any colonies. Again experience will help you understand that"

Impeccable spelling. That rules out a couple of suspects.
Apart from that, this nuc seller is talking utter tosh.

 

[theengraver]

Give a clue at least

 

[HelenX]

Best if I do publish, if only to protect the innocent from suspicion! - But my other half doesn't think i should - so make do with the hint!

We drove to Oswestry, and the supplier has a very professional website.

I will not be dealing with them again.

Helen

 

[TBRNoTB]

No scales needed. In my book five frames of brood out weighs (no pun) three.

However as I said TS don't see it that way so the BBKA "guidance" is dangerous.

PH

But if you were Trading Standards who's guidance would you seek? Yours, mine? (God forbid) Surely they would tend to go for nationally recognised organisation of some years standing!
Regards
TBRNoTB

 

[oliver90owner]

I will not be dealing with them again.

There are a lot on here who will not do repeat deals. Once bitten (or is it stung)......

RAB

 

[Chris B]

There's a bit of a gap in the beekeeping market - an independent "Which" style consumer guide. Newcomers (and others?) are easy prey to anyone who knows how to get up the google rankings or pays for a glossy ad. in a bee mag.

 

[nonstandard]

Best if I do publish, if only to protect the innocent from suspicion! - But my other half doesn't think i should - so make do with the hint!

We drove to Oswestry, and the supplier has a very professional website.

I will not be dealing with them again.

Helen

I'm rather hoping we are not all being monitored by the government as some kind of radical group, I can just imagine the alarm bells ringing at MI6 as we all type "Nuc Oswestry" into Google.

I really don't want unexpected visitors in uniforms breaking down the front door at 6 in the morning to 'talk' to me.