Buying honeybees are the typical way many beekeepers get started. And late winter to early spring is the time to order them. There are several options available to you when you want to buy honeybees. These options may vary on your location and the sources of honeybees in your area. Beekeeping clubs are often a great resource to buy honeybees through. If your local club does not offer a way to purchase bees, they likely will have recommendations on where to buy honeybees.
The three primary ways to buy honeybees are:
- Packages
- Nucs
- Hive
Packages – 2 or 3 Pound
A package of bees really is just that. A simple wood box with a screen on each side, a can of sugar syrup for feed in transport and typically a queen in a cage. These are normally available in two or three-pound packages. Packages are usually purchased in the early spring with planned arrival around April depending on your location.
Read about how to make your own homebrew feeding supplement.
Nuc Box – Cardboard or Wood
A Nuc is a small working hive and is another great way to start with beekeeping. The typical nuc is either a wood or cardboard box that holds up to five deep frames. These usually come with two or three frames of brood and nurse bees, two or three frames of honey and pollen and sometimes a feeder depending on setup. Since it is a functioning hive there is also a laying queen in the hive. The availability of nucs can around the same time packages are available and up to about three or four weeks after packages are delivered. Either one of these two methods of getting your bees is a great way for a beginner to get going.
Hive
This option is not always available but can be a quick way to get started. Some clubs and individual beekeepers will have complete hives with bees available for sale. Typically, they come as single deeps with a bottom board and cover. The hive components are usually pretty basic. A regular all wood bottom board and a migratory cover is what you should expect. Sometimes smaller operators may have upgraded equipment such as that shown. In our experience a screened bottom board and telescoping cover are not typical when buying a complete hive.
We have purchased complete single deep hives in the past, but the minimum purchase was four hives. Those hives all came on one hive pallet with wooden migratory lids. The price was just a little more than buying nucs and allowed us to build up pretty quickly. If you have a means of loading and transporting a pallet as a unit, it can be a relatively quick way to move your hives to your bee yard.
Conclusion
Packages, Nucs, and complete hives are three ways for you to purchase bees. Availability likely will vary depending on where you live or plan to keep your bees. Keep in mind that shipping of bees can be an expensive endeavor as well as risky, so many producers sell by pick up only. This can further limit your options for how you buy bees. Timing is also something to consider. Nucs and hives often are available later than Nucs. So if pollination is a primary goal, you should check to see which option will allow you to pick up your bees to meet your timeline.
For the new beekeeper I would recommend starting with a package of bees. This is a great way to see the beginning of your new adventure from the very start. You get to observe the colony build its new home essentially from the foundation up. Seek out a club and a local bee equipment supplier in your local area and they should be able to help you in ordering you first package or two.
Regardless of the way you buy your bees, the important thing is to not procrastinate ordering them. If you wait too long you might need to wait till next year to get started.
