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UK Produced Buckfast Queen Bee
£40.00UK Produced F1 Buckfast 2024 queen bee, mated and marked accordingly for the year. Developed by Brother Adam, who was in charge of beekeeping from 1919 at Buckfast Abbey in Devon in the United... -
Description
Price & Booking Terms: £290.00
- Pay in full, or reserve today with a £70.00 booking fee and pay the remaining £220.00 balance prior to collection.
- Booking fees are refundable up until all nuclei of this type are fully booked. After this allocation threshold, deposits become non-refundable.
- In the event we cannot supply your nucleus colony, 100% of your payment will be refunded immediately.
Seasonally produced spring colonies created during the active season and headed by a 2027 [imported / UK-reared] Buckfast queen (mated and marked yellow). Brimming with bees and gentle to handle, these colonies arrive ready for immediate transfer into a full-sized brood box. Buckfast bees are renowned for rapid build-up; a well-managed spring nucleus expands quickly to take advantage of the main summer honey crop and late forage like heather. (Please note: Honey yield depends on local forage, seasonal weather, and apiary management, and cannot be guaranteed.)
Seasonal Timing Note: Seasonal spring nuclei are produced during the spring build-up and are naturally ready for collection later in the season than overwintered colonies. If you require an early spring start to catch the early oilseed rape or orchard flows, we recommend choosing an overwintered nucleus colony.
Colony Specifications
- Frames: 5 British Standard National DN4 frames.
- Queen: Healthy, laying 2027 Buckfast queen (marked yellow).
- Brood & Stores: Balanced brood across all developmental stages (eggs, larvae, and sealed brood) alongside generous reserves of honey and pollen.
- Packaging: Supplied in a secure, ventilated travel box. Please have your permanent hive ready to transfer the bees promptly, ideally the same day in the late afternoon or evening.
Colony Health & Welfare
Every nucleus undergoes a pre-handover health inspection in strict accordance with the National Bee Unit (NBU) guidance for selling live bees. Full veterinary varroa management protocols and disease prevention records are maintained in our apiaries.
Collection Logistics
Collection only by appointment from Honeyfields Bee Farm (Mile Tree Lane, Aldermans Green, Coventry, CV2 1NT). To safeguard honey bee welfare and eliminate transit stress, we do not courier or post live bees.
Handover Protocol, Weather & Queen Supply Notice
Queen mating conditions and early season weather directly dictate when seasonal nuclei reach maturity; collection dates may adjust accordingly. We will keep you updated if your colony requires additional time to develop.
We will contact you by telephone and email when your colony is ready for collection. Please ensure your contact details are accurate at checkout. If we cannot reach you, your order moves to the bottom of the allocation schedule; reservations unconfirmed after 14 days may be cancelled and the booking deposit forfeited.
Good to Know: Suitable for beekeepers of all experience levels. Beginners are strongly advised to complete a local association training course and register on the NBU BeeBase portal prior to collection. Please review our Sale of Live Bees Policy and Five Frame Nucleus FAQ before placing your deposit.
