Nucs - Live Bees

Local Pick Up Only, Nucs are Live Bees

A nuc is a small, fully functioning hive. It consists of 5 Deep frames containing all stages of brood and live adult bees along with a young well-bred queen.

Nucs give you approximately a 6-week jump in production over packages.
These nucs come from a local Beekeeper raising stock for gentleness, surviving under varroa mite pressure, strong overwintering and honey production. These bees are raised locally, the season is later than in the Central Valley, thus the later pick up dates. 

Please choose a pickup date. You MUST have a pickup truck for pick up. Pick up dates are weather permitting.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

You will need your complete hive assembled, painted, and set-up in the location where you intend for your bees to live permanently.

You will need to gather your tools and any protective gear you wish to wear for beekeeping BEFORE your Nuc arrives.

Come on down and we can get you all squared away, plus answer any questions you might have!

Equipment Checklist:
Your Nuc
Protective gear
Hive stand at an optimal location with:
Complete hive set up—Top, inner cover, bottom board, assembled deep boxes (painted on the outside only), deep frames with foundation, entrance reducer set to smallest (3/4”) hole
Start new Nuc colonies with 1 deep box only (you will add boxes as your colony grows)

Please read the instructions below VERY carefully to ensure your pick-up experience is a quick and pleasant one.

As we always say, bees are tiny livestock (they are alive!!!) and any unforeseen change in weather, climate or a natural disaster can change the pick-up day and/or time with very little notice. We ask that you please be understanding that we cannot control any of these things and we will do our best to communicate everything we can to you.

Reminder: These Nucs are meant to be placed into a complete hive within 4-7 days of bringing them home. Make sure you have all of your equipment assembled, protective clothing and have read a good beekeeping book before your pick-up date.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
You MUST pick up your Nuc in a pickup truck.  If your Nuc tips over during transport you will have thousands of unhappy bees flying around your car. Nucs are delivered in a cardboard box which makes them impossible to completely secure. Driving in an enclosed vehicle with a nuc is not only dangerous for humans it is dangerous for the bees. We are unable to wrap nucs due to ventilation and temperature concerns.

When home please place Nuc onto your stand directly where the hive will live permanently. Do not transfer the nuc frames into your hive box for at least 3 days, allowing them to acclimate to their new location.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

Nucs that are not picked up on the given day and time will be forfeited unless special arrangements have been made. You will be asked to RSVP that you will be there to pick-up at your designated time. No refunds can be given on Nucs that are not picked up.  Pick up dates are an estimate and cannot be guaranteed. Delivery of mature nucs is dependent on weather and orchard bloom. Delays in pick up dates will be communicated as we receive information.

No cancellations after March 15, 2024