Is there a demand for NUCs ?

FordGuy · July 29, 2007, 01:31:02 AM

Thinking of selling some nucs next year, had some luck this year selling a few locally. Just wondering if I am able to ship them, is there generally a demand? I will elimnate all my italian/russian, and replace with NWC.

bluegrass · July 29, 2007, 09:46:21 AM

You can probably sell every one you have locally depending on your location. If you have alot to sell contact all the bee associations within a couple hundred mile radius and let them know that you have some to sell. I wouldn't ship if you didn't have to. I am not sure that anybody ships them anymore at all through the postal service. Usually beeks move everything that needs to be moved aroound the country.

FordGuy · July 29, 2007, 10:10:18 AM

couple of question: are most folks selling the woodenware also, or to buyers bring a empty box? Iknow both are do-able,but which oneis the preferred method?

And are most sellers not using the mail anymore for NUCS?

bluegrass · July 29, 2007, 10:21:42 AM

Any I have bought that did not come in cardboard nuc boxes I had to drop off my woodenware for them to be put in. There is also usually a frame exchange for nucs.

TwT · July 29, 2007, 12:10:14 PM

Ford , Dwight Porter (lives in Easly SC)sales about 200-300 nuc's a year, he doesn't ship, people come to his place with empty nuc or hive bodies and they get the five frames, not the box, now he does sale some but 80 dollars for the nuc and then 35 dollars for the nuc box...

Moonshae · July 29, 2007, 04:56:39 PM

This guy ships small cell nucs. I hope to order a couple from him next year.

http://www.geocities.com/fatbeeman/

michelleb · July 30, 2007, 07:16:59 PM

I'd bet that wherever you are, you could sell some nucs. I'll be selling a few in 2008 in waxed cardboard boxes.

Rather than mess with box/frame exchanges, I'll incorporate the cost of relatively new, drawn frames into the price of the nuc.

I don't want somebody else's equipment. Transferring nucs from box to box is a pain in the butt, especially if the customer has a weird schedule. And chasing down loaned boxes is too much of a bother. As for deposits? Well, why mess with them.

pdmattox · July 30, 2007, 07:25:34 PM

I think that you could sell all you make localy (within 100 miles)so you dont have to ship and I like the cardboard nuc boxes as well and I was told that dadant will probally carry them next year. I think brushy mountain already has them.

TwT · July 30, 2007, 07:27:31 PM

what a bunch of people dont know is there are laws for each state shipping bee's on comb, you can ship queens anywhere and packages also to a extent but bee's on comb will catch you one day, if you ship to a state that has to require inspection of bee's on comb entering that state like California and there are a few more then you on your own if you ship there, they will nail you one day, its best to let them come to your place and pick up 5 frames of bee's with a queen or check the state laws on shipping bee's on comb to what ever state you shipping too. There are a few that do ship and take their chances but I want.............

Bennettoid · July 30, 2007, 07:45:05 PM

Keep it local. I bought a couple nucs from a local guy this year and was pleased, and its way cheaper then packages.

rdy-b · July 30, 2007, 10:58:00 PM

Bennettoid how much where the nucs ? three pounds with queen and cage fifty bucks credit for cage if yours are good to exchange less if you buy one hundred. how much is the going rate for packages picked up? bulk bees in cali go for ten bucks a pound hundred or more pounds. RDY-B

FordGuy · July 30, 2007, 11:57:57 PM

Quote from: TwT on July 29, 2007, 12:10:14 PM
Ford , Dwight Porter (lives in Easly SC)sales about 200-300 nuc's a year, he doesn't ship, people come to his place with empty nuc or hive bodies and they get the five frames, not the box, now he does sale some but 80 dollars for the nuc and then 35 dollars for the nuc box...

well i'll be. 200 to 300 - wow. specialty like small cell, or just regular italians?

Grandma_DOG · July 11, 2009, 01:48:46 PM

Old thread, but now I have to ask. How much do nucs go for this year? I see some on the internet for $130 for a 3 frame and $140 for a 5 frame.

rast · July 11, 2009, 05:56:16 PM

In my area. I can buy a 10 frame medium with box for $100 (early spring only). Another guy was getting $80 bucks (or trying to) for 5 deep frames in your box. Dallas is probably getting $75 or so for a 5 frame in a cardboard nuc box.
You have to take queen quality into consideration along with acclimatization for your area. A queen that only laid a 50 cent piece size of eggs and then thrown in a nuc isn't always a good deal no matter how cheap.

TwT · July 11, 2009, 06:52:03 PM

I have seen prices range from $75-$120, if I was to sale one mine go for $100

sc-bee · July 11, 2009, 09:28:59 PM

>specialty like small cell, or just regular italians?

Dwight is a certified Russian breeder. Not but a handful of certified breeders for Russian at this time. He goes through a very intense program with his bees to be certified!!!

WOB419 · July 12, 2009, 01:13:37 AM

Here in NC, I just paid $75 a piece for 5 frames, using my box and exchanging 5 frames with foundation. I bought from this fellow in the past. He has gentle bees that are good honey producers. I think that it was a fair price.

Natalie · July 12, 2009, 04:57:09 AM

I paid $110-$120 for local stock on 5 deep frames in cardboard nucs.Its worth the price to me to get good stock that does well in my area. All of the producers I ordered from sold out early in the season, local stock is in high demand.