How much to sell nucs for

[Somerford]

just seen on facbook nucs are not allowed but queens are, anyone know im just going onto beebase to see if any info there

So - read ITLD for info on this -

but my opinion is it's clear you can still purchase packages in Europe - but whether it's worth the risk of trying to bring them in either without the correct and I mean correct paperwork down to the last full stop or they will be refused at port of entry OR the vehicle is held up somewhere at the port on the European side then it'll come to nothing.

There have been some talking about bringing in the bees through Ireland but you have to get them there first and there wasn't a tunnel to the Emerald Isle the last time I checked.

And then you have to bring them across the Irish Sea a further few hours travel (and legalities>)

I think unless DEFRA and the NBU and The Government sort out a channel to allow imports it's far to risky on the health of the bees to make commercial sense to me.

Hence the price of home produced nucs is going to reflect supply this season IMHO

KR

S

 

[masterBK]

When I started beekeeping in 1959 I was given my first colony. When I moved from the midlands to London to go to Uni I gave away my colonies to beginners in my association but kept in touch helping them out with my ex-bees during my "long" vacations. When I moved to Yorkshire in 1971 I was given a colony for free by a member of the local BKA. I soon increased my colony numbers and since then have helped get lots of beginners started either with free swarms or with nuclei sold at cost. I think some people take too much an advantage of beginners and greedy charging way above the cost of producing nuclei possibly valuing their time at rates typically charged by the legal profession. I understand why beefarmers need to charge what they do to make a living but not hobby beekeepers.

 

[Apple]

When I started beekeeping in 1959 I was given my first colony. When I moved from the midlands to London to go to Uni I gave away my colonies to beginners in my association but kept in touch helping them out with my ex-bees during my "long" vacations. When I moved to Yorkshire in 1971 I was given a colony for free by a member of the local BKA. I soon increased my colony numbers and since then have helped get lots of beginners started either with free swarms or with nuclei sold at cost. I think some people take too much an advantage of beginners and greedy charging way above the cost of producing nuclei possibly valuing their time at rates typically charged by the legal profession. I understand why beefarmers need to charge what they do to make a living but not hobby beekeepers.

I wonder if someone could do a costing on the production of a nucleus of bees.

I sat down and costed out how much an 8oz jar of honey produced in the UK should be sold for.... seems like a lost lead to sell all of the other bee related truck and trinkets we sell at the shows!

Now go and ask your local butcher for some free steak!

Chons da

 

[masterBK]

In response to Apples post above I have tried to work out the approxiamate realistic costs of producing a 5 frame nucleus (assuming that several are produced at the same time).

Material costs = 5 frames (bought as part of a 2nds bulk buy) + 55 nails £3
5 sheets of foundation £5
Cost of Sugar syrup used to get foundation drawn and feed nucleus £4 (@45p per kg )

Cost of queen £8 (reared as part of 20+ queen batch using cupkit or grafting, contribution towards purchase of Apidea (estimated life 10+ years and each used to get 2 or more queens mated per year) fondant for Apidea, contribution towards cost of queen rearing equipment
One seasons use of nucleus hive £2 : polynucleus (bought for £30 estimated life 15yrs+)
one hour of beekeepers time (probably an over estimate for time conscious beekeepers) costed at £20 and used for making up frames, setting up nucleus, rearing queen, marking queen, feeding/maintenance/checking of nucleus
Loss of honey production from colonies providing the bees £20-£30 (much less if exercise done as part of swarm control measures)

I estimate a well organised beekeeper keeping 20 or more colonies could produce a nucleus up to the standards required for around £60 to £70. Anything over that is profit so charging £100 would be a fair price.

I am sure that with the efficiency of scale the costs would be lower and to make a living a beefarmer would need to charge more. Because beekeeping is my hobby and I don’t count my time as everything would fit in with my regular apiary visits I estimate it costs me no more than £40.

I now await others to shoot me down and produce alternative costings.



I

 

[Swarm]

No criticism here.

 

[Ian123]

Good god you make it sound so easy.....if you can do it for £40 cost £70 sounds reasonable if there a nice decent bee like a buckfast or carniolan I’ll take 30 Nucs I’ll give you money on delivery and can I have them 6th of April pls. I’ll have them if you’ve got them! That’s serious by the way, I await the response.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Well I'm using 6 frame poly nucs and they are the best part of £40.
My queen's have golden wings £60 (Amm)
so all in all £230.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Me and my friend ask £100 and a return of the box. If they prefer to keep the box, £140.

How many do you have to sell with the boxes?
Queens locals?

 

[Ian123]

Thornes that are 1 of the main uk hobbyist suppliers are £300 and sell out every single season others are around £250. Start there and work down £200 is reasonable. A good early nuc should also produce hundreds of £ of honey factor that in. Am still waiting master beek!

 

[masterBK]

Overwintering nuclei to sell in April obviously adds costs ( treating for Varroa, cost of feeding, time for more checks and plus a contribution towards winter losses from queen failures etc) maybe another £30 to £40 per nucleus.
Beekeeping isn't rocket science and Ian123 thinks I make it seem easy but I have been keeping bees longer than most and learnt alot in that time often learning the hard way from my numerous mistakes but I now have systems of management that seem to work most of the time. I don't sell bees commercially just produce queens and nuclei for myself and to provide bees for beginners in my BKA to get started. However I will be selling up completely in about 6 years time when I reach 80yrs as I reckon the lifting and work load will be too much for me by then (also under pressure from the better half to get rid of hundreds of beekeeping books (have several signed copies by Eva Crane and other well known authors ) honeypots and other collectables plus beekeeping gear stuff that fills house, shed, garage and attic!)

 

[Ian123]

Is that a no then?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Is that a no then?

. Its called a long wait.

 

[Apple]

In response to Apples post above I have tried to work out the approxiamate realistic costs of producing a 5 frame nucleus (assuming that several are produced at the same time).

Material costs = 5 frames (bought as part of a 2nds bulk buy) + 55 nails £3
5 sheets of foundation £5
Cost of Sugar syrup used to get foundation drawn and feed nucleus £4 (@45p per kg )

Cost of queen £8 (reared as part of 20+ queen batch using cupkit or grafting, contribution towards purchase of Apidea (estimated life 10+ years and each used to get 2 or more queens mated per year) fondant for Apidea, contribution towards cost of queen rearing equipment
One seasons use of nucleus hive £2 : polynucleus (bought for £30 estimated life 15yrs+)
one hour of beekeepers time (probably an over estimate for time conscious beekeepers) costed at £20 and used for making up frames, setting up nucleus, rearing queen, marking queen, feeding/maintenance/checking of nucleus
Loss of honey production from colonies providing the bees £20-£30 (much less if exercise done as part of swarm control measures)

I estimate a well organised beekeeper keeping 20 or more colonies could produce a nucleus up to the standards required for around £60 to £70. Anything over that is profit so charging £100 would be a fair price.

I am sure that with the efficiency of scale the costs would be lower and to make a living a beefarmer would need to charge more. Because beekeeping is my hobby and I don’t count my time as everything would fit in with my regular apiary visits I estimate it costs me no more than £40.

I now await others to shoot me down and produce alternative costings.



I

Can I put my order in for 200 need to be Cornish Amm and guaranteed to produce at least 200Kg honey in first season..and can you deliver them to Harrowbarrow in Cornwall for 6th April.
Cash on delivery ( will retain 50% to cover any errors or ommissions such as queens not laying etc etc)

 

[Ian123]

( I will retain 50% to cover any errors or ommissions such as queens not laying etc etc)

Master beeks don’t make omissions!...... I’ll consider a similar amount or more for an august delivery pm me a price I’m guessing they’ll be really cheap then though?

 

[pargyle]

. Its called a long wait.

When I was a kid at school I worked during the summer holidays for Bassetts the liqurice allsorts manufacturers .... I worked with the fitters ... On my first day with them they sent me off to the stores for a Long Weight ... I got one ...until the storeman took pity on me !

 

[Newbeeneil]

When I was a kid at school I worked during the summer holidays for Bassetts the liqurice allsorts manufacturers .... I worked with the fitters ... On my first day with them they sent me off to the stores for a Long Weight ... I got one ...until the storeman took pity on me !

That's very normal Philip, as long as you didn't go back for tartan paint the next day!

 

[ericbeaumont]

realistic costs of producing a 5 frame nucleus.

Add the cost of promotion, admin, preparation of the nuc for collection, marking the queen, face-to-face collection, follow-up advice by phone or WhatsApp, time taken to bank the cash or the cost of card reader charges and the cost of transport to visit the apiary each time these events occur and those at post 64, and we might be getting close. .

 

[Swarm]

How many do you have to sell with the boxes?
Queens locals?

Of course they are, I couldn't claim them to be anything else without DNA analysis and a stamp of approval.
Our nucs tend to go to people who want them rather than people who just want bees.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

My local one sells 6 frame nucs to beginners at £65 after their course. Which I was a bit shocked about.

The intent as I understand it is to enable and encourage new beekeepers to afford their first colony. It's all very well breeders of quality queens promoting their stocks at much higher prices but it's not going to do anything for new beeks who struggle to gain a foothold in the craft with all the usual problems and first year losses. How many drivers buy a bentley to learn to drive on?
There's a place in the market for high and low (and ín between).

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Inspected by SBI is a requirement with my association from anyone offering nucs for sale and I know the SBI's find it a nuisance.

I wonder how long it'll be before this free service will come to a halt?