Do you sell colonies?
Yes, we sell nucleus colonies of up to five frames of bees. Like most beekeepers, we generally do not sell full colonies as it would be cost-prohibitive, as well as unnecessary, for the customer.
Do you sell queens?
Yes. Depending upon availability, timing and weather we may have excess locally-produced queens for sale. We may also have for sale production queens imported from Hawaii or California.
What do your colonies come with?
Each nucleus colony contains up to five frames in a box with a lid and ventilation. Depending upon the customer’s requirements, there will be up to three frames of brood in all stages, with two frames of honey and pollen. We can make up nucleus colonies as small as two frames at the customer’s request.
What do your queens come with?
Each queen, regardless of whether it is locally-produced or imported, will come with attendants to look after it. If imported, the queen will come with attendants inside her cage. If local, the attendants may be shipped with the queen inside a battery box. We use both California-style wooden mini cages and plastic JZ BZ-style cages.
Are your colonies for sale free of disease?
All colonies are inspected by the B.C. government prior to sale and come with an inspection certificate. The provincial bee inspector looks for signs of communicable diseases, infestations of varroa mites and other problems.
Do you charge for the nucleus colony box?
We charge a refundable fee for our nucleus colony boxes. The cost is $25, credited back upon return of the box in suitable condition.
Do you ship queens and bees within British Columbia?
Yes. We use either Canada Post – which has a good reputation for overnight delivery – or a courier service that has experience with shipping livestock.
Do you ship queens and bees to other parts of Canada?
Yes. It depends on location, distance and the provincial regulations in the target province. Please call us for more information.
Do you ship queens and bees to the United States?
No. Canadian export and U.S. import regulations governing livestock are difficult to overcome. We may consider exporting to the U.S. at a later date.
What happens if my queen or colony dies?
We ensure that before a sale that every locally-produced queen, whether in a nucleus colony or sold separately, is a proven layer. We also ensure livestock is carefully packed for shipment. However, once you purchase the livestock the responsibility is yours. If you have a problem we want to know about it and may be able to make arrangements, under certain circumstances, for at-cost replacement. We want our customers to be satisfied with our service!