Holy Crap ......have you seen the price of bees

slacker361 · December 27, 2010, 10:55:51 AM

I just priced a nuc of buckfast bees from two different places, they are going for 155.00 to 195.00 for a freaking nuc, this is getting out of hand

Yuleluder · December 27, 2010, 11:36:40 AM

Seems a bit pricey. Where did you get those prices?

slacker361 · December 27, 2010, 11:45:48 AM

I am not sure I am aloud to say with the by laws. "Weaving" these type of prices through the hive gets expensive. I need to find a local some how and get them.

Tommyt · December 27, 2010, 02:00:25 PM

WTK has Italian & Russian on their on-line store for 81 to 86 for 3 lb
Granted they don't come in a NUC box
I am New at keeping so when I posted I hadn't searched for the Buckfast below I found what you
were talking about
I would buy a Bred Queen maybe save some $$ and still get the BuckF Breed

Tommyt

I just think I found what you speak of :shock:

3# Package Bulk Bees with Weaver Queens

In the late spring when our bulk bee supply is depleted we will purchase bees by the pound from local suppliers and include a Weaver Queen.

Note: Please add your requested ship date during the checkout process.
Before checking out, please read our Estimated Shipping and Guarantee Information.

Package Bees are shipped by USPS Priority Mail, Ground. We will calculate the shipping and self-insurance cost and contact you with your total charges.

Package bees are harvested and shipped in April and May of each spring.

$140.00

bhough · December 27, 2010, 03:22:18 PM

Dear Slacker,

I drove 3 hours from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg a few years ago to get bees from Bjorn apiaries. He is a frequent commenter here and has a website. I'm sure his prices have gone up, but he sold me the nuc and box for a much more reasonable price than you mentioned. He may be too humble to admit it, but his bees were beautiful and well taken care of. Call him and put in your order. It was worth the drive.

Bruce

Michael Bach · December 27, 2010, 04:38:50 PM

That seems very high. In my area I placed a depost on two nucs. Both carnies from two sources one was $100 and the other was $110 for 5 frame deeps. And you bring your own box.

slacker361 · December 27, 2010, 06:14:28 PM

@behough he does have some nice prices , the only problem is that it will be a 10 hour round trip drive. I know he will ship package bees but was looking for nucs, I would like to get them since they can survive our winters, not sure if my "texas" bee will make it or not

AllenF · December 27, 2010, 08:08:06 PM

Just look at the prices in the bee magazines. There are still nucs available for under 100 bucks.

slacker361 · December 28, 2010, 10:30:59 AM

@Allen what bee magazines are you referring to?

BjornBee · December 28, 2010, 01:29:20 PM

Bruce,
Thank you for the plug.

Maybe I should of raised my prices this year.... :roll:

Indiana was the furtherest place I sold a nuc last year. In 2009 it was Michigan. And that's on pickup only nuc orders. ;)

AllenF · December 28, 2010, 05:05:49 PM

American Bee Journal and Bee Culture are the 2 I get, but there are others out there. Those 2 are the big ones out there.

backyard warrior · December 28, 2010, 06:07:38 PM

I like healthy bees and all but i dont know about driving half way across the country to get them :roll:

BjornBee · December 28, 2010, 06:50:03 PM

Quote from: backyard warrior on December 28, 2010, 06:07:38 PM
I like healthy bees and all but i don't know about driving half way across the country to get them :roll:

I know I wouldn't, if I was only leaving with bees..... ;)

slacker361 · December 28, 2010, 08:55:48 PM

OK there has to bee a seller in western PA, or eastern ohio..... someone has to know of somebody

wetland bee · December 28, 2010, 09:00:50 PM

highlights in ABJ Look realy good on Thomas Seeleys book Honeybee Democracy. Thinking about buying the book

Acebird · December 29, 2010, 02:54:55 PM

QuotePackage Bees are shipped by USPS Priority Mail, Ground. We will calculate the shipping and self-insurance cost and contact you with your total charges.

Should you expect a 40% death rate on these bees because they are caged?

greenbtree · December 29, 2010, 05:18:08 PM

Hey, I did a cutout on a friends place in N.E. Ohio last August. They have lots of fruit trees, etc. so they wanted to keep bees on their property. I set up the bees in two deeps with empty frames and starter strips, so they could make their own comb. As of October they were still there, according to my friends. My friends are not beekeepers. If they are doing well come Spring you could do an inspect and a split if you want. These bees were fed sugar water from the first week of August until late October (When I realized I hadn't told my friend to STOP feeding them :-D).

JC

greenbtree · December 29, 2010, 05:29:40 PM

Oh, and to let you know, I removed these bees from the people's well pump housing, they had been there for about two years.

JC

slacker361 · December 29, 2010, 07:30:06 PM

sure is that up around youngstown?

greenbtree · December 30, 2010, 01:56:35 PM

Yeah, just a little North and West of Youngstown. I think it's Russell Township? I can check. Of course, I would still order some bees now, just in case these girls don't come through Winter well, or at all, but I don't know about you, but I never can have enough bees... :-D They were nice and gentle when I moved them. Probably Italian descendants, but that's just a guess.

JC