There are three main ways to obtain your bees:
- Purchase a honeybee nucleus colony from a trusted supplier
- Purchase a package of honeybees
- Capture a honeybee swarm or remove an established colony
A nucleus colony (also called a “nuc”) is preferred by many new beekeepers and can be from a local honeybee supplier. A nuc is the preferred choice for new beekeepers as it’s a more established colony and includes the growing colony of bees and their queen, some frames full of developing brood (in various stages), and a few frames of pollen and nectar resources.
A package of honeybees is a popular choice as they are less expensive and is simply a few thousand bees inside of a screened box, with a queen in a cage to be introduced to the remaining bees after installation. Many honeybee package suppliers will ship bees long distances, but this option is not recommended as it is very hard on the bees and can impact their health.
Catching a swarm involves finding a honeybee colony that’s swarmed and in need of a new home and capturing the colony to install in your beehive. This is a choice often reserved for more experienced beekeepers as it can be intimidating to newbies but does have the added benefit of giving you “free bees”!
However you choose to purchase your bees, think about it as early in the year as possible, many suppliers will sell out of bees as early as January or February! And if you’re not sure where to start to find a trusted supplier, check with your local beekeeping club and members of your beekeeping community to find out more about their experiences with honeybee suppliers in your area.
Read More
An Overview of Obtaining Bees for Your Beehive
Know Where to Source Your Bees? Think about that now!
Obtaining and Installing a Package of Honeybees*
Obtaining and Installing a Honeybee Nucleus Colony*
*Colony Member-Only Content
