Bee swarms, queens and nucleus colonies

For bees to be moved, the destination must be a registered beekeeping holding and the hives must carry its identification code. Before booking, ask the agricultural office or competent authority in your region which registration and movement document apply to that origin, destination and date. Not every shipment requires a special animal-health certificate: this depends on the health situation and restrictions in force. Also check the product page, because some live bees must be collected while others can be delivered subject to conditions.

Two or three, not one. With a single hive you have nothing to compare against: when something goes wrong — the queen fails, stores drop, a health problem shows up — you cannot tell whether it is that hive or simply the season, because there is nothing beside it to use as a reference. And if that one colony is lost, you are out until next season. With two or three you learn by seeing the normal against the odd, and above all you can move a frame of brood or stores from the strong colony to the one that is struggling, which is the single manoeuvre that saves most colonies. One condition: buy them in the same format, because with frames that do not fit each other that manoeuvre is impossible.

A virgin queen still has to complete her mating flights and begin laying in your apiary; the outcome depends on the weather, available drones and preparation of the nuc or colony. A mated queen has already completed this stage and, where stated on the product page, is supplied after her laying has been checked. The higher price reflects the rearing time, mating nuc and risk already borne by the breeder. Mated does not mean instrumentally inseminated or that the paternal line is controlled unless the product specifically says so. In both cases, acceptance depends on the introduction procedure.

It is possible, but the purchase should not be planned on the assumption that there will be a crop. A package starts with no comb or brood; a nuc has more of a head start, but it must still grow and build up stores. The result depends on the delivery date, initial strength, available drawn comb, nectar flows, weather and management. The first objective is to establish a colony with enough bees and stores for winter. Honey should be removed only if there is a genuine surplus that will not compromise that objective.

No introduction method completely removes the risk of rejection. Before introducing her, confirm that the colony is genuinely queenless and check for queen cells or signs of laying workers. Keep the queen in her cage and follow the breeder's method and timing; do not release her while workers bite the cage or form an aggressive ball around it. If she arrives dead, injured or in poor condition, document the issue and make contact immediately before handling her. Any applicable claim or replacement is governed by the product page and the terms of sale for that specific live bee product.