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Nuc of Locally adapted Bees
    • 5-Frame Overwintered Nucleus Colonies for Sale
    Our overwintered nucleus colonies are raised with care in our apiaries located in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. These nucs are a fantastic start for beekeepers looking for strong, healthy bees tailored to the local environment.
    What’s Included:
    • 5 Frames of Bees: Our nucs include a balance of brood, food stores, and bees, ensuring a thriving and productive colony.
    • Proven 2024 Queen: Raised using best practices, the queens are selected for their temperament, health, and productivity. For more details on our queen rearing, visit our queen rearing page.
    • A nuc box of your selection (select via the drop down box)
     
    Why Choose Our Bees?
    • Overwintered Locally: These nucs are overwintered in wooden nuc boxes, ensuring the bees are strong, resilient, and adapted to UK conditions.
    • BIBBA Members: We adhere to the British Isles Bee Breeding Association's (BIBBA) guidelines for sustainable and ethical beekeeping.
    • Quality Assurance: Raised using good practices, our bees are carefully monitored and nurtured to ensure their health and productivity.
     
    Delivery & Collection
    We do not ship our nucleus colonies, as we believe it’s better for the bees to be cared for by their new owner immediately after leaving our care. However, we do offer delivery within a 25-mile radius of NN29—simply select the delivery option from the dropdown menu at checkout.
     
    Nucs will be provided in correx transport boxes unless you have opted to purchase the nuc along with a nuc box. The correx boxes are lightweight and designed for transportation olny.
     
    The listed collection dates represent the earliest times we anticipate the overwintered nucs will be ready. While we expect them to be available for collection between late March and early May 2025, please note that rare delays may occur due to unpredictable weather conditions. Currently we have collection of the nucs on the following dates:
     
    5th April 2025
    6th April 2025
    12th April 2025
    13th April 2025
    19th April 2025
    20th April 2025
    26th April 2025
    27th April 2025
     
    Thank you for your understanding and for supporting the welfare of your bees!
     
     

    Nuc of Locally adapted Bees

    £200.00Price

    • Additional Information

      When purchasing one of our overwintered nucs, it's important to be prepared for the process of transportation, transfer, and aftercare to ensure your new colony thrives. Below is some key information to guide you:

       

      Transportation

      Your nucleus colony will be provided in a correx transport box unless you have selected to purchase a wooden nuc box. Correx boxes are lightweight, secure, and ideal for short journeys. When transporting your bees, ensure the box remains upright, well-ventilated, and out of direct sunlight. Transport the bees as quickly as possible to their new location to minimize stress.

       

      Feeding

      Once you have collected or received your nuc, we recommend feeding them with a sugar syrup (1:1 ratio) to support their transition and encourage them to establish in their new environment. Ensure there is a clean water source nearby.

       

      Transferring to a Hive

       

      For detailed guidance, visit our FAQ page.

       

      Queen Details

      • Marking: Each queen will be marked with the 2025 international queen marking color for easy identification.
      • Clipping: The queens will not be clipped, preserving their natural behavior.
      • Type: Our queens are locally adapted, with a tendency to be darker in appearance compared to breeds like Buckfast or certain imported types. They are raised to thrive in UK conditions, with a focus on health, productivity, and temperament.

      Aftercare Support

      We are here to support you as you establish your new colony. If you have any questions or concerns about your bees, please do not hesitate to contact us.

       

      Returns and Refunds

      Returns and refunds are not possible unless the queen is found to be drone-laying within the first two weeks of collection or delivery. Please see our Terms and Conditions of Sale for full details.

       

      By following these guidelines and caring for your nuc, you’ll provide the best possible start for your new colony!

      • Health and Inspection: All nucs sold are inspected and deemed healthy to the best of our knowledge at the time of collection or delivery. We cannot guarantee the future health or performance of the bees after the sale.

      • Collection and Delivery: Customers are responsible for collecting their nucs on the agreed date. If delivery is arranged, an additional fee may apply, and delivery dates will be subject to weather conditions and the health of the bees.

      • Responsibility Post-Sale: Once the nuc is collected or delivered, all responsibility for its care and welfare passes to the customer. We are not liable for losses due to factors such as mismanagement, environmental conditions, or pests.

      • Replacement Policy: If the nuc is found to have a queen failure within 7 days of collection or delivery, and evidence is provided, we will provide a replacement queen or nuc at our discretion. Requests must be made promptly, along with photographic and video evidence.

      • Delivery Area: Nucs can only be collected or delivered within mainland UK. We do not offer international shipping for live bees.

      • Bee Suit Requirement: Customers collecting nucs must bring and wear appropriate protective clothing, including a bee suit, to ensure safety during the handover process.

      • Force Majeure: Bee availability is subject to factors outside our control, such as weather and colony health. We reserve the right to delay or cancel orders if these factors impact nuc production.

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