Queen Bees FAQ

At Honeyfields Bee Farm, we supply high-quality Buckfast and Carniolan queen bees bred for calm temperaments, strong brood patterns, and reliable honey production. We’ve built long-term relationships with trusted EU breeders and also raise queens from our own British breeding stock here in Warwickshire. All of our queens — whether UK-produced or imported — meet strict National Bee Unit (NBU) and UK Government standards. Each queen arrives in perfect health, fully inspected and accompanied by official health certification, ensuring you receive only the finest quality bees.

We use Buckfast and Carniolan strains, both known for their productivity, gentle nature, and adaptability to the British climate. Our UK-bred queens are raised from selected Buckfast mothers chosen for good honey yields, low swarming tendency, and calm handling. Imported queens are supplied by a trusted EU breeder we’ve worked with for many years, ensuring consistent quality and strong genetics. We select all queens for key traits such as brood pattern, temperament, disease resistance, and overwintering ability — ensuring they perform exceptionally in both hobby and commercial apiaries.'t.

Every queen bee sold by Honeyfields Bee Farm is produced or imported in full compliance with UK legislation and NBU guidelines. Imported queens arrive with a health certificate and are inspected by the National Bee Unit (NBU) on arrival. We follow the Healthy Bees Plan and use Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)-approved varroa treatments, ensuring strong, disease-free colonies and promoting sustainable beekeeping across the UK.'t.

Our queen bee season runs from April to September (weather permitting). Orders placed before 9:00 am Monday–Friday qualify for same-day dispatch, helping to minimise transit time. Early-season availability may vary depending on weather and queen mating conditions, so ordering in advance is always recommended.

All queens are dispatched via Royal Mail Special Delivery (Guaranteed by 1:00 pm) and must be signed for. They travel in ventilated introduction cages with several attendant bees to care for the queen during transit. This method ensures your queen arrives safely, securely, and in the best possible condition.

While all our queens are healthy and ready for introduction, successful acceptance into a new colony cannot be guaranteed, as it depends on colony temperament, timing, and introduction method. We recommend following our Queen Introduction Guide and avoiding introducing a queen to a colony with queen cells or aggressive behaviour.

Buckfast queens, developed by Brother Adam at Buckfast Abbey, are prolific layers with calm temperaments, strong spring build-up, and good honey yields. They’re excellent for both hobby and commercial beekeepers. Carniolan queens, native to Slovenia and the Austrian Alps, are gentle, adaptable, and fast to build up in spring. They winter well in smaller colonies and fly in cooler weather, making them ideal for northern climates.

Yes — we produce UK Buckfast queens from carefully selected German and Danish breeding stock and mate them with selected drones here in Warwickshire. We also sell imported Buckfast and Carniolan queens from our trusted EU breeder. Both types meet the same high standards for health, productivity, and gentle behaviour.

In the rare event that a queen arrives dead, we must be contacted immediately on the day of delivery. Photographic evidence must be emailed to us, and we may ask for the queen to be returned if we suspect any foul play. Once verified, we will replace the queen free of charge.

If your queen fails to lay eggs or becomes a drone-layer, please notify us as soon as possible — typically this becomes apparent a couple of weeks after acceptance. We’ll ask for photographic evidence and, once we’re satisfied there’s an issue with the queen, we’ll replace her promptly.

No — once a live queen bee has been dispatched or collected, we cannot accept returns or exchanges under any circumstances. This protects the health of our livestock and prevents the spread of disease. However, if you have any issues or concerns, we’re always here to help with advice or support.

Yes — we offer bulk pricing and wholesale supply for bee farmers, educators, and retailers. Discounts are automatically applied to larger orders (5+, 10+, and 20+ queens). Please contact us directly for bespoke pricing and scheduling.

If you receive your queen but can’t introduce her immediately, keep her in a warm, quiet, shaded place (ideally 20–25°C). Avoid direct sunlight, vibration, or temperature extremes. Queens should be introduced to their new colony as soon as possible — ideally within 24–48 hours of arrival.