Just a thought... I read about so many people that purchase packaged bees. Here in Canada a package with queen would run me about $140.00 can. No guarantees, nothing. The only packages we are allowed to import due to darn government regulations are from New Zealand and have already been used for a season. I myself purchased my bees through a friend with over 2000 hives. For $25.00, I get frame of brood (with generous amount of nurse bees) and order a Queen for another $20.00=$45.00 can all together. That way I can get 3 nucs for the cost of one package. How much is the average price for package in the US? Is it not cheaper to purchase brood, place in nuc box and just add own queen or are packages that cheap down there?
I wouldn't consider them cheap by any extent. The prices are close to about $57 for 3lbs with a queen (and that's not including shipping). Those bees come from Georgia. If I want my bees through the apiary in Northern PA, they are a few dollars more. That particular apiary has their package bees hauled in from the south somewhere also. There's a huge apiary over in the next town from me. I don't know if he ships or what his prices are but he raises his own package bees. He's a migratory keeper, spending summers in PA and winters in FL. When he comes back from FL he'll stop in places like the Carolinas pollenating orchards and such. I would like to know what he charges myself. It's most likely my cheapest bet, but when I was talking to him a few months ago, he said he MIGHT not be doing packages this year.
Quote from: MatzFor $25.00, I get frame of brood (with generous amount of nurse bees) and order a Queen for another $20.00=$45.00 can all together.
That is very cheap. In Finland cost of 3 frames nuc with queen is about 170 $. We do not use here package bees.
Package bees are slow to develope. It takes one month that first bees emerge from package nuc. Our summer is 3 months long.
If I would be in that situation I like to bye 3 frames brood and it will be a good start, if the cost is 75$. Soon I should have whole box of bees and full of brood.