Mann Lake Bee & Ag Supply Reviews

I ordered bees on April 28th to be shipped out May 10th. They were shipped the correct day according to the post office. However the email I received said they didn’t ship until the 12th. Fast forward to May 15th, I do not have bees. Nobody knows where they are. Mann Lake says they pay for tracking but the postal service rarely uses it because they are “afraid” of the bees. So the tracking numbers they provide are absolutely NO USE! UPDATE….My bees did arrive 6 days after shipping date, and yes, over half the bees were dead. However, Mann Lake did fully refund me w no hassle. I’d probably order from them again if they had more bees, but they don’t. Thanks Mann Lake! 🤩🤩

Do not purchase from Mann Lake. They have no concern regarding the quality of bees that are delivered. They just want your money. I purchased two packages of Italian bees. After three days, the queen was alive but one package was 90% dead. The second package thrived. Both packages were in the same environment and have been treated the same. The first two times I called, I had to leave a message. The third time I called, I finally got a real person on the phone. This person was a very strict/stern person on the other end, who was over talking me, and was not willing to listen to my concern or address it in anyway. I learned that all they care about is a quick money grab otherwise they’re not concerned about the health of the bees or the satisfaction of their customers. I will never order from Mann Lake again.

Great customer service. I called in and placed an order through phone, the lady was very welcoming. I placed a bigger order than usual and I got it delivered relatively quick. Everything was packed carefully and ready to use. Really smooth experience.

Horrible shipping practices. Shipped live chicks in an unmarked box. All 10 chicks were DOA. Took 6 days to ship live animals because of the unmarked box. Had to fight for a refund which took longer than their website states.

Won't be buying anything from them, especially anything live. Don't waste your money or your energy trying to contact them, they'll just look for ways not to help. You can read other reviews and many others with queens absconding and mannlake won't do anything about it. It's the same as a queen failing to lay imo, and very frustrating to do everything right and still watch them fly away. Buy queens local, don't trust Mannlake. Warning everyone in my community to avoid the same mistake.

I ordered (INV1219122) a queen bee and was assigned a date it would arrive. FIRST time an apiary couldn't just sell me a queen bee! 🤣 Got the conformation email informing me when the package would arrive. I immediately responded and said to cancel my order that the date was too far out. ZERO RESPONSE. The queen showed up anyway... the cage was inside a thick 'paper' envelope with holes... (one hole was allowing air into the envelope, the rest of the envelope was stuck together), after my initial shock I opened the package and the queen was the o ly thing alive in the cage. The candy was so far into the cage there may have been a thumbs width of space for the queen. She of course died the next day! Passed the 24 hr mark! 😠 This is the first time anyone commercial or backyard has sent me a queen in a paper envelope. The hundreds of dozens from anyone else has been in a vented box with way more than 4 nurse bees! *Edit* I have upgraded the rating. They did refund the amount!

First time I ordered and the last time I order. I ordered a queen overnight shipping the guy said it would me on the way. I checked my email and there was no tracking information. So I called and they said they did not have the queen in stock. I haggled with them for two days trying to get it corrected. NEVER AGAIN!

purchased few items from Mann Lake on April 9th and today April 22th. they haven't shipped the item or provided a tracking number. they have not even sent an update. every day i call and they say we will ship it today. they are fraud people. stay away from these people. there are many companies out there with good reputation and good customer service. stay away . STAY AWAY

Don't mail order these bees!!!! They came shook up and queen took off right away. The half hive died and the others left within 24 hours. Customer service will not refund!!!!

I only wish that there was a zero-star option for this company. Buy your bees and supplies elsewhere (Mountain Sweet Honey Company is wonderful to work with and MUCH less expensive)! Incredibly RUDE "Customer Service". These people could care less about you or your order. So many significantly better options are available for beekeeping supplies and honeybees - with courteous, responsive customer service. It has been a long time since I've dealt with such rude customer service. As someone who is new at beekeeping this year, I'd already dropped significant money with Mann Lake before I had to deal with them directly. Save yourself the stress and headache. These folks don't deserve your business. For the MANY of you who have had similar experiences and trouble being properly refunded for what you are owed. You have options. File a complaint in Mann Lakes home state with the State Attorney General's Office, your own State's Attorney General's Office, and the Better Business Bureau in both states. You WILL get a response, and you WILL get action on your complaint.

I expected more for the money I paid for this hive. Is very expensive, oh, and supplies. I got my order in some of the frames were moldy and 3 spots of the inside of the hive was moldy. Had a lot of Gouges At 1 of the boxes had pine pitch all over the side. I have spent many hours trying to send it. I had to stay in a darker Coto. Hide the damage in the pine pitch to make it look good. But then I read something thatt might be too dark and too hot in the summer. So I pray to God. That's not the case. They would not do anything for me. I ordered extra. Frames for the hives some of those had Mold on them and I ordered them with the wax. I only saw 3 splatches of wax on 3 of the frames. They keep telling me that there is wax coating on it. But I know it did not have wax on it. I can see where the wax is. But they're about the size of a quarter. On three different Frames, none of the other frames had wax on it. I sent them pictures. They told me pretty much are not gonna do anything about It so I Bought some beeswax, not the order more. Adding up the cost. They acted like they're gonna make good on it, but they never did. So now I will not order from them again. I bought my bees wax from another place. Help me lock that my bees don't get too hot this summer. And I'm ordering my bees from another place. They lost my business permanently.

On October 30, 2023 I ordered 3 mouse guards for my 8 frame hives. I tried to order via Amazon with free shipping and no hassle returns but they only had 10 frame mouse guards. On November 2nd I received the 3 items ($9.95 plus tax and $10.51 shipping)= $42.15. On November 5th I went to put the 3 mouse guards on my 3 hives and not one of these "made in China" mouse guards fit. I contacted support via email. The supervisor via email stated that the " 8 frame equipment does not have a standard size throughout the industry the way that 10 frame equipment does so equipment purchased from different companies may vary in width". This disclaimer was not part of the online description else I would not have ordered. I requested a paid mailing label to return the 3 unused mouse guards for a full refund. I received a UPS mailing label via email and dropped off the items for refund. On November 14th, I received an email from AR that only $12.10 refund to my credit card. Let's do the math ... I have returned 3 new mouse guards @ $9.95 plus tax and was only refunded $12.10. I would never have agreed to return via UPS mailing label. I would have sold these 3 unused mouse guards to a fellow beekeeper to break even. I am now out $30.05 and Mann Lake makes no attempt to make this right for me as a customer. I will never recommend Mann Lake. I will never purchase from Mann Lake. Buy American and Support legitimate, moral companies. I am disputing these charges formally with my credit card company. 42.15 - purchase / shipping (12.10) refunded (they charged me to return 3 unused metal mouse guards still out $30.05 I have loss and nothing to show for this transaction with Mann Lake Ltd. I want a full refund $42.15 and an apology for horrible customer service.

BUYER BEWARE!! Horrible experience twice now. Paid over $100 per bird for some “pedigreed” racing pigeons. What arrived was a bird with salmonella, one with a club foot, and all of them had mites. Second experience: breeder stuffed 6 birds in the smallest crate they make, so no surprise one was dead on arrival. Was told “ we will replace this one as a courtesy but we won’t replace any after this”. Unbelievable. They do t stand behind thier product and customer service is awful. Would not recommend Strombergs or Mann Lake to ANYONE. This will be the last time I use them.

Purchased a pail filter stand 2 years ago. It broke after careful and delicate use. Turns out one of the legs was barely weld, barely attached. Bad QAQC. It was always going to fail. The other legs are welded solidly. Mann Lake refused to honor a manufacturing defect. The problem was always there, i was just too careful to expose it soon enough. So I am posting here. I have photos showing exactly what I mean. Edit: Thevresponse below from mann lake is insincere. The only reason I posted this review is because I had no other rcourse. I talked with them on the phone and through chat. I still have the chat logs. Yes it was out of warranty that is very true. But my issue is that it is a manufacturing defect. Totally their call to reject my request. Cgeck out HillCo bees. Its who I use now. Cheaper, innovative and you can talk directly with John Hill, the founder if you want.

Mann Lake took an order from me in November of 2022. They could not fulfill the whole order but charged me for everything. I spoke with a representative of the company in December of 2022 and was assured that the rest of my order would be sent when it was available. I waited for 7 months and did not receive the rest of the order. When I called again, the company representative indicated that although he could see that I had placed the order and paid for it, it was now outside the time window and I would not be reimbursed, nor would I receive the items backordered.

When initially purchasing I was treated quite nicely, my queens did not come with any comprehensive marking system as to what was what, later on I was stonewalled and had to turn around and email the initial sales rep I had initial contact with when one wasn't laying and had 2 rejected, got told the policy was opposite of what I had received in the mail with my queens and because I was stonewalled I was outside of replacement policy, overall I would give this experience negative stars and I'm never returning

BUYER BE WARE! Do not buy bees from this company. I recieved 2 packages of bees. They where shipped during a cold snap. So I had to wait to install till it warmed up. Not a good start, but I figured the next day would work. Sprayed the cluster with a little sugar water as advised. Installed the packages as soon as the weather allowed. But did not have 1.5 inches of dead bees and it was after 24 hours of picking up the packages. Needless to say, one died and the other survived. There is no way to get my money back because there rules on a claim are ridiculous. So I wasted my money on a bee package that died as soon as I installed them, the company knows how sensitive the install part is and deliberately created a "policy" to make sure you can't create a claim on your purchase if the weather holds you back from install. Do not buy from them they do not care about you or your time and money.

BUYER BE WARE! THIEVES!! 🤬I ordered 10 metal hangers, was charged $18.44 for UPS shipping. The envelope came in USPS. I checked as I have a small business and they overcharged $10 and didn't even use UPS. When I called the extremely rude woman who answered you agreed to the shipping, deal with it and hung up. I had no other option, there is only that or next day air! So check your orders, Mann Lake is STEALING your money by OVERCHARGING you on shipping! BUYER BE WARE!

Poor customer service. Misplaced my order for Queen bee. Waiting all day yesterday for UPS delivery. Called this morning, someone out of office, no other answer.

I ordered three apiary kits and three 3lb saskatraz bee packages. UPS delivered the apiary kits right away but forged my signature and then said it was the neighbor. However, I live on 37 acres with a half mile driveway. No neighbor around. Bees were scheduled to arrive between 2 and 6 on 5-12-22 but never showed. I received an autocall 5-12 that I would need to pick up the bees at the post office. I called to cancel and they refused and provided the runaround until I demanded to speak with a manager (had to demand as being nice led no where). FInally agreed to cancel and refund.