I waited 6 weeks for 17 vials of dead fruit flies

To conduct my thesis work I require some specific strains of transgenic Drosophila (fruit flies for the less scientifically inclined). These strains were coming from a stock centre in Vienna, Austria. Now, for some dumbass reason, the centre only maintains 1 vial of each line, and breed up a 2nd when someone orders a vial of that line. Because of this, the time from order to shipping is 6-8 weeks. I was lucky that it only took 6 weeks in my case. Four more days in transit and they finally arrive today.

They were all dead.

I waited 6 f-ing weeks so I could finally start real work towards getting my thesis completed. And I get 17 vials with not a single live fly between them. Perhaps some idiot neglected the "store at room temperature" and "this side up" stickers, or maybe nuked them with some x-rays as one of the labels tends to indicate. All I know is that I hope there is some viable larvae left that emerge soon, or else I am going to be VERY cranky. Not to mention bored for the next 6-8 weeks.