Time to place your pre-orders for live bees!
We are a distributer of live bees for Fred Selby, a 2nd generation beekeeper from Chico, California. Previously the head of the Shonnard’s Nursery Beekeeping Department, Fred now professionally operates his apiary near Brownsville, Oregon.
You can place your pre-order now for 3 lb. packages, or a “fresh” nucleus hive, also referred to as a ‘package nuc’, either with Carniolan or Italian bees. Find out more below!
A 3 lb. package of bees includes a caged queen, mated and unmarked, roughly 10,000 bees, and a can of sugar water.
Package bee orders will be available for pickup approx. Late April; the exact date is determined by weather and other delivery circumstances. Please call if you have any questions or need to discuss pick-up day accommodations.
A note about packages: You are purchasing a mated Italian or Carniolan queen. The bees accompanying her in the package are bulk bees not related to the queen, and can be a mix of Italian or Carniolan individuals. You will see the true genetics of your queen expressed in your bees after a few brood cycles have been completed and your hive is established. (For example, don’t be alarmed if light colored bees are in the package with your dark Carniolan queen!)
Wondering about installation? We will send you home with printed installation instructions, but you can always see how it’s done by watching our package bee installation video on YouTube, HERE.
What is a Fresh Nucleus Hive?
A fresh nucleus hive is one that is created from a package of bees. All the equipment is new: deep frames, rite cell foundation, and a high-quality, wax dipped cardboard box with ventilation.
The package of bees is transferred into the nucleus box with the new foundation. The queen bee is caged with a sugar plug, and the bees do the work to free her and acclimate to her. The bees will create fresh wax on the new foundation, and the queen will begin laying brood.
The fresh nucleus hive will consist of 5 frames with new wax, pollen and honey stores, and developing brood; the 5th frame is always a new frame to accommodate the growth of the colony.
We will be taking pre-orders for fresh nucleus hives until approximately late April, or until we have reached the pre-order limit of 100.
More Live Bee Ordering Information
A cancellation fee of $30.00 applies to all cancelled bee orders prior to the pick-up day being set. Pre-orders are non-refundable once pick-up day is set.
All live bee purchases are for pick-up at our store in Corvallis only. WE DO NOT SHIP BEES, OR DELIVER BEES.
We will notify you of exact pick-up times as the date approaches. Please call us at 541-929-3524, or email bees@shonnards.com, if you have any questions or need to discuss pick-up day accommodations.
PICK-UP ADDRESS:
Shonnard’s Nursery
6600 SW Philomath Blvd.
Corvallis, OR 97333