Going rate of Nucs and colonies this spring

[elainemary]

What will members charge for an 11 frame colony of bees this spring? With young (edit red ) marked 2023 mated queen , I’m estimating 7 frames of brood and rest of frames stores / drawn comb with good covering of bees

Also thoughts on next seasons first 6 frame Nucs with this years green marked queen later in the season?

Both not to include equipment other than frames but could include local delivery and installation or pick up and return boxes. Not for sale on the forum a general enquiry on pricing

Thanks
Elaine

 

[Murox]

An interesting question. I think what you charge depends upon your motivation, to whom and where you're selling. I am thinking of simply asking the cost of all frames, box, (queen?) etc etc plus a third.

 

[ericbeaumont]

general enquiry on pricing

Check retail prices and go from there. There is a tendency for hobby beekeepers to underprice or even give away free, but cheap bees may well discourage responsible management. We all know a beekeeper who buys a nuc in spring to replace losses caused by lack of care. Why give them a bargain?

 

[Swarm]

What will members charge for an 11 frame colony of bees this spring? With young yellow marked 2023 mated queen , I’m estimating 7 frames of brood and rest of frames stores / drawn comb with good covering of bees

Also thoughts on next seasons first 6 frame Nucs with this years green marked queen later in the season?

Both not to include equipment other than frames but could include local delivery and installation or pick up and return boxes. Not for sale on the forum a general enquiry on pricing

Thanks
Elaine

I'm assuming you meant red?
Buyer provides their own box for transfer of frames and bees while inspecting the colony. Return visit to collect after bees have been closed in, I think £200 is a fair price, a bargain in fact. I wouldn't go down the delivery route, though.

 

[Pembroke]

A good guide is usually the price they go for in bee auctions but if you can't wait that long the Honey Bees for Sale website / mailing list is a good guide;

http://www.honeybeesforsale.co.uk/

 

[Sutty]

A good guide is usually the price they go for in bee auctions but if you can't wait that long the Honey Bees for Sale website / mailing list is a good guide;

http://www.honeybeesforsale.co.uk/

All I find on that site is a list of locations & instructions to email the webmaster.
No prices shown, and no details for sellers.
Weird!

 

[JohnRB]

Our association has overwintered some nucs to sell to beginners in the Spring. We (unusually) bought in some queens at £40 each, they come with 6 frames (about £12) and have each had about £15 in either syrup or fondant over the winter. We started with 10 and have 8 left (various reasons) so the cost of lost queens and feed is spread across the remainder.

We are selling for £180, just the bees and frames or £220 including a new, last season, maisemore nuc (which cost about £60 so you'd be daft not to take the nuc as well). The sale includes a year of mentoring with the bees kept in our training apiary, if the beginner wishes.

We discussed what would be a fair charge for quite a while!

All profit goes into running the training apiary

 

[elainemary]

I'm assuming you meant red?
Buyer provides their own box for transfer of frames and bees while inspecting the colony. Return visit to collect after bees have been closed in, I think £200 is a fair price, a bargain in fact. I wouldn't go down the delivery route, though.

Oops yes red! How daft of me Thankyou re pricing!

 

[MeAndMyBees]

What will members charge for an 11 frame colony of bees this spring? With young yellow marked 2023 mated queen , I’m estimating 7 frames of brood and rest of frames stores / drawn comb with good covering of bees

Also thoughts on next seasons first 6 frame Nucs with this years green marked queen later in the season?

Both not to include equipment other than frames but could include local delivery and installation or pick up and return boxes. Not for sale on the forum a general enquiry on pricing

Thanks
Elaine

Do you have a Local Bee Association near you ?
Maybe check out if they have a Website : with a "For Sale" area: Listing Nucs.
Or fire an Email off to their Secretary or Chair Person.
Many Bee Assc's try to help 'Existing Members' and welcome "Newbies" with Bee Classes.
Maybe see if their 'Tutor' might have some willing Buyers !?!
Know my Assc. has very handy 'Senior Pro Beeks' who will offer their Services. Know the local remit. Costs / Bee types / What Equipment is Wanted / Sought for !
Can put one in touch with another.
Just a thought.
Hope this helps.

 

[Eyeman]

Last seasons Cheshire beekeepers auction had correx nucs going for £300.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What will members charge for an 11 frame colony of bees this spring? With young (edit red ) marked 2023 mated queen , I’m estimating 7 frames of brood and rest of frames stores / drawn comb with good covering of bees

£250-££200 advertised to association members

 

[Nannysbees]

£260 from a beekeeper near us

 

[elainemary]

thanks for all the comments

 

[Curly green finger's]

Single brood £375
6 frame nucs £280

 

[sipa]

This all depends....
Bees bought from established well respected commercial suppliers will always be more expensive than those supplied by hobbyists, associations or friends and for good reason.
Cost of production, overheads and profit plus provenance and reputation together with guidance and support.
Our new season Nucs start at £279 in a correx box, prices rise from there depending on size, configuration and timing.

 

[drex]

The goodwill of my association got me started, and then going on swarm collection list built up numbers. Like most, during the season my problem is usually having too many colonies. Never had to buy bees in my life. I appreciate it can be a good source of income, but personally think prices are ridiculous

 

[Curly green finger's]

This all depends....
Bees bought from established well respected commercial suppliers will always be more expensive than those supplied by hobbyists, associations or friends and for good reason.
Cost of production, overheads and profit plus provenance and reputation together with guidance and support.
Our new season Nucs start at £279 in a correx box, prices rise from there depending on size, configuration and timing.

Do you have to add vat sipa?

 

[Rory Fields]

Check retail prices and go from there. There is a tendency for hobby beekeepers to underprice or even give away free, but cheap bees may well discourage responsible management. We all know a beekeeper who buys a nuc in spring to replace losses caused by lack of care. Why give them a bargain?

I've given away about 12 nucs and a hive, and the hive and 8 of the nucs I gave to a millionaire friend of mine. They're all dead already, and he's making noises about me giving him some fresh in the spring - be warned!!

 

[Pembroke]

All I find on that site is a list of locations & instructions to email the webmaster.
No prices shown, and no details for sellers.
Weird!

The webmaster provides a 'service' by asking that people buy through him. This means that if you say advertise 10 full hives with him you don't have to give a location where you (and maybe ) the hives can be found. This reduced the likely hood of theft of unattended hives.

If you click on the locations in the list you will see the adverts for the hives and the prices. So for instance if you go to the list and click on 'Sussex' this advert comes up;

1/1/2023
Overwintered nucs.
Available this April.
5 x 5 frame Langstroth nucs. £320.ea. (£20 in advnce £300 on collewction
5 x 5 frame National 14x12 nucs. £320.ea. (£20 in advnce £300 on collewction
15 x 5 frame std National nucs. £280.ea. (£20 in advance £260 on collection)
All 2023 laying queens buckfast cross local black bee. Nice temperament.
All supplied in correx nuc boxes.
Can supply new cedar hives and equipment.
Collection from Littlehampton BN17 West Sussex.
Can deliver.
Please email me Patrick Laslett
[email protected]
Please note I am the webmaster - not the owner of the bees

===============​

I suspect they mean 2024 not 2023 at the beginning

 

[The Poot]

A few years ago I offered two colonies free bees via the local association - bees on frames only, 11 frames. I stressed I wanted to help new starters or folks in need.
Both were snapped up quickly.
First one a lady arrived in all her kit to transfer the frames into her box and take them straight away. She said they were for her village apiary as they had lost their bees. She wouldn’t go near the bees! I transferred them, it was dusk and the bees objected a bit. She retreated down the garden.… I completed the boxing up gave her a strap as she had come without one and she took them away, never to be heard of again. The strap was returned some weeks later.
Second one, a chap arrived in a beaten up old car, well prepared with travel screen and straps and set to, to transfer into his box. He kept remarking what nice bees they were. Very professionally done, a hand shake and an insistence to give me something for them. I said I just wanted to help a needy beekeeper out, but mentioned I was partial to Old Speckled Hen. A week or so later a very large new BMW rocked up and he gladly gave me a box of OSH, explaining he was passing on his way to the airport, as he was going to Greece for a few weeks!
I found out later he lived in a very large Manor House.

So, my new rule - they are NOT free.