Does it usually cost $160 to buy a package of bees?

Mike Harper: I know location sometimes drives prices. But around my area 130

Debra Dowell: Around here there are $125.

Chris Hamilton: it costs as much as you are willing to pay 🙂

Jon Stark: It’s varies, but I see anywhere from $120 to $150 on average

Jose Melchor: For me they are free, just do a removal

James Slemp: Make yourself some swarm bait boxes out of scrap putting them around in hopes of catching some free bees.

Alec Luther: Is there a reason why bait boxes are a specialty thing? Could I just use a normal hive?

Ian Kj: Alec Luther yes: normal hive deeps are the ideal volume but ungainly and cumbersome. A suitable trap can be made from cheap-o materials though: it doesn’t have to last 30 years.

Scott Lewis: I just paid 165 but it also included shipping

Mike Harper: And when the packages and nucs start selling out the Supply and demand really kicks in

Danny Banks: 3 lb or 5 lb? Is there a return or deposit on the case/cage they come in? $160 is a bit steep IMO.

Ben Stiles: I just paid 105

Kevin McCormick: $135 In the Northeast,

Kevin McCormick: We give the queen away after we graft.From our overwintered hives.

Joseph Dalli: Kevin McCormick were are you based out of?

Nick Gibietis: I paid $120

James Slemp: As spring goes on Id think they would get a little cheaper as theres more bees to sell

DianeMargaret Miller: We paid $140

Niki Hartley Logue: Nucs (including box and frames) are about $130-$155 in our area. We just bought 3 lb packages (just bees) for $80 each

Niki Hartley Logue: In Georgia

Samantha Nelson: I paid 195$ for a completely integrated starter hive 🙂 personally I felt like the investment was well-worth it because I only had to make one purchase

James Slemp: How many boxes with frames and foundation come with a starter hive.

Marci Sterkel Fouts: 10 frames or 8 frames depending on which starter kit you buy. Often 1 deep and one medium box. Bees are separate ?

Marci Sterkel Fouts: $122 for us with club discount

Jared Roberts: 115 for 3lbs in MI

Chris Vacanti: $165 for each nuc I bought this year.

Matthew Odom: I sell my 5 frame nucs for $135 here in SC

Alecia Tanner: We paid $115…

Js Bond: $140 at Kelly’s with $40 postage ugh

Rex Heckathorn: 175. here in pa

Lynn Titus Wallen: For a package?

Chantal Frehlich: 230$ 4 frame nucs here in BC.

Terri Robb: $150 – NW PA – 3lb package

Paula Sadler: 140 but I ordered late

Kevin McCormick: Put out a swarm trap..Nothing but your time!Better to get get local bees.IMO

Adam Szalkowski: 128$ w/ marked queen

Jacqueline Livingston: I got a 5 frame nuc for 150. Seems like packages are 80-130 around here.

Alayne Torretta: Yes, in NJ I am picking up 3 nucs tomorrow at $150 each

Paul Anderson: Location. Location. Location. Just like real estate.

Vickie Russell Harris: Simple answer… yes depends on location could be more

Shane Lee: We paid $120 in Utah.

Ian Hall: $240 4 deep frame nuc delivered. Northern California.

Karen Diane Stooks: Sadly I just paid $140 Rochester NY

Peter Szitarity: Paid 150 for a nuc in victoria Australia

Kevin McCormick: As most everyone has said it is All location dependent..

Darko Marko: I catch swarms, pinch the old queens and intro a new bred mated queen from a good breeder and always end up a success hive within couple months..

Amanda Jones: 3lb $99 SC

Darko Marko: Last season’s haul

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Kevin McCormick: Sorry to change the subject.It is the same with buying sugar.My Friend just got 75# of pure cane sugar for under $15 Dollars.

Darko Marko: Nucs with caught swarms here go for between 50-150$ but no guarantees so I stay away and catch my own and requeen

Tracey Stewart Montgomery: I paid $165 for a nuc in Southern IN

Carla Edwards Lawrence: We paid $165 plus tax each for three last yesr…NUCS

Marty Malone: I think a 3 pound package of Weaver Buckfast bees, with shipping, goes for $230

Darko Marko: Advice for Nuc/package buyers…Make sure the queen is good.. The queen is Everthing in beekeeping

Mark Waring: 99 in November early bird sale

Yuri Evfimiou: Based on my experience this year I would get a nuc with an established colony instead of a package. Mine flew off as soon as the queen was released. 🙁

Brian Nuttall: Nova Scotia Canada

Nicole Iacopino: Paid $140 for pkg 3 pounds

Pamela Shrock: 3# pkg $120. In Wisconsin

David Smetak: your dad trying again.

Pamela Shrock: David Smetak , I wasn’t going to this year, but lately Dads been complaining how hes gonna miss having any so bad. So I managed to still locate a pkg from wolf in Baldwin. Weve been talking about you. What kind of survival rate did you have? Message me

David Smetak: for package bees that seems high to me. but it all depends on supply and demand in your area. its up to you to shop around early. like in december. get your orders ready for best prices. our distributor sold out 1000 nucs at 115.00 USD. we confirmed long ago. but we bought a ton of bees at discount and they are to be delivered.. we have bought from him before and the quality is excelent.

Greg Stafford: Where ???

David Smetak: my secret.

Renee Arnold: Mine were $127 a package,4 and a half lbs.

Randy Yaskal: On LI it does.

David Smetak: your trying again pam

Lynn Hefler: Nucs are $190 at a local place in NS

John Ruhl: 160 in south jersey

Peter Lynn Westre: 120 for 2 pound package in southern MnJust ordered a 5 frame nuc as a backup. I was given a hive with drawn comb for 20 dollars.

Esther Phelps: 165 here in the Panhandle of Florida

Kyle Funk: 225 in south east New Mexico

Cheryl Labao: $120 in Jacksonville, Florida

David Smetak: im in wisconsin

Nina Lawcewicz Jawnyj: Illinois?

Jim Hines: 125 here in Maine

James Small: Kentucky 240 for Russians

James Brannick: $130 NE KS

James Mckay: 150 in Washington state

Rodney Spears: No, Jerry at Rozier Apiaries sells his for $75, and another 25 for shipping. Check right a way because he is going to go up on his prices.

Katharina Davitt: Pretty steep. Our club charged 100.

Bob Mann: Location, location, location. They are average $125 where I am, maybe $10 less, maybe $10 more. I can get the same 3# package myself if it was economical for me to drive 400+ miles south and get them for $75.

Janet Johansson: Well, I would have to say yes

Joel Williams: With shipping and a marked queen.

Bret Young: $175 5 frame muc northern Indiana

Di Ricciardi: i paid 130 last year

Di Ricciardi: 160 more like a nuc

Kalie Chagooka Ulriksen: $240 in Canada

Jesse Hammel: Local co-op sells for 250$…

Tom Rosemurgy: Give or take.

Mark Lamon: Jerry D Rozier has packages for 75.00

Jeff Reiss: That’s about right for a five frame nuc deep with marked queen, brood and some pollen and fall honey.But not a three pound package

Melinda Harrison: Wow, bees are expensive over there, here in Portugal I pay €50 for 10 frames of bees, just take my hive and he swaps his full ones for my empty ones.

James Slemp: I will have to look up your 650 to see what that is in american dollars.

Tom Laury: 50 euros is about 75 US dollars

James Slemp: Tom Laury ty

Barbara Casort: $140 in Whatcom WA

Steve Baylor: Yes. And more.

Prisci Maldonado-Dominguez: yes, in Florida it can be around that price, maybe $10 less

Gordon Vaughan: Southern Illinois 160 for 5 frame nuc.

Daryl Owen: What about UK please?

Woody Works: $220+ Canada

Charlotte Marie Murphy-Ferguson: yes, but get some lemon grass oil and and make swarm traps and catch your own like we do.

Charlotte Marie Murphy-Ferguson: https://l.facebook.com/l.php…

Making swarm traps by Charlotte & James Ferguson
youtube.com

Mike Harper: I’ve never seen or heard of a swarm in my area. Maryland

Colin Barnes: $250 in BC ??

David Smetak: and people complain about the price of honey. seriously.people need to get educated on what it actually cost to raise bees. but humans are cheap.

Cole Hunter: I pay 175 in Vermont

Randy Martinson: 200 here in Roy Washington

Barbara Bachmeier: Who is your bee supplier in Roy, WA?

Randy Martinson: Lauri Selness Miller

Barbara Bachmeier: Contact information? I am in Anchorage and need a reliable, honest bee seller here.

Randy Martinson: Miller compound honeybees and agriculture

Darren Bush: 180 for a nuc in Wisconsin.

Cynthia Clemence: 135 in Vermont; Italian bees~

Tom Laury: If you purchase directly from producer they are much cheaper.

Sheri Hammond Clark: ?what?

Renee Arnold: I havnt bought a nuc, however I did just pay $508.00 for 4 packages of bees. They weigh 4 and a half lbs each, but I’m seeing most are sold weighing 2 and a half to 3lbs. Fruitland Idaho The Honey Store is where I purchased.

Sheri Hammond Clark: Renee Arnold i didnt know you kept bees Renee

Sheri Hammond Clark: Sorry wrong Renee! Lol My husbands cousins wife has same name! ?

Renee Arnold: Sheri Hammond Clark I just started a couple years ago. It’s an amazing but expensive hobby?

Sheri Hammond Clark: Renee Arnold yes it is!!! But I had never bought bees so yeah I am stunned at how much folks are being charged for them! ?

Bill Brubaker: I suspect some posters are listing nuc prices when this topic concerns what is an average price of just packages.

Joel Williams: I see packages going for 120. Add in shipping and then it’s close to 160. Though I saw a guy hocking packages for 160. He bought them from an apiary and then up charged.

Kassy George: my brother just paid $169 for a five-frame nuc with queen…

Malcolm Cliff: Well where I am it probably will… last I checked it was R4,500 for a swarm… that’s roughly $200

Genji Leclair: Packaged bees should cost between $105 and $125 depending on the apiary and where you buy them. A 5 Frame Nuc goes for $160 and 9 Frames for 185 ish….

James Small: Where is this

Genji Leclair: James Small Great Lakes Bee Co in Fremont michigan

Winona Nassey: it’s $140 in central indiana

Delevan Strider: I’ve paid 160 for a nuc before but never a package

Robert Martin: No.

Ann Buckner: No

David Giddens: I would suggest buying a 5 frame nuc.The reason being is that they are already established. They have 5 frames of comb,usually 3 frames of various stages of bees,eggs,larvae and capped brood.A package of bees will take longer to get going and are more likely to abscound!!!

Linda Halacy Treadway: a nuc maybe

Madelene Turner Brock: I bought mine from Rural King for $125 and free shipping

John Keck: 130 for a 3 lb package with a queen at Grand Junction, CO.

Mark Baker: one of the nice things about year round bees in Hawaii = never needing to buy your Bees .

Steven Ortega: $112 in Tennessee

Veronique LS: .

Barbara Bachmeier: Packages in Anchorage, AK cost $195.00. But one particularly unscrupulous bee supplier, who advertises on Craigslist, gets a few customers (who don’t know better) to pay $131.50.

Mike Wrobel: $150’ish in Nebraska.

Ken Burdick: $130 / 3lbsw/queen and mite dusting

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