: If shipping, the United States Postal Service (USPS) or your national carrier usually requires you to pick them up directly from the post office to minimize transit time.

: Have your equipment fully assembled and in place before the bees arrive.

: Delivery dates are often more firm than for nucs, which depend on local weather for queen mating. Buying and Shipping Considerations

You can find various starter colonies and complete hive setups through specialized online marketplaces and apiaries: : Offers Apis Mellifera Bee Hives including 8 frames and a newly mated queen. Bee Fresh Honey : Provides Bee Hive Colonies Go to product viewer dialog for this item.

Buying package bees online is the most economical way for beginners to start an apiary or for experienced beekeepers to repopulate existing equipment. A standard package typically contains roughly three pounds of bees (about 10,000 workers), a caged queen, and a feeder can with sugar syrup. Key Benefits of Package Bees

: Do not delay; bees can overheat quickly in transport cages.

: While bees can be mailed, picking them up from a local supply store or a designated meeting point is less risky to avoid overheating or stress.

: Because they do not come with old comb or frames, there is a lower risk of transferring certain brood diseases.