Bees for sale

[JIMB]

Nucs on smith and national frames for sale. East of forfar area

[Hoomin_erra]

Price??
Type of bee??

[gavin]

Perhaps I should add that I think Jim is asking £5 per frame of bees, and the bees are likely to be Amm-leaning local mongrels. Do correct me if I'm wrong Jim! From looking at BeeBase it appears that the apiaries within about 10 miles of Jim have been clear of foulbrood this year, but there are cases around that distance away. Don't know if he's been inspected this year.

Eeekk!!! Sorry everyone. I did intend to write £25 per frame.

[Hoomin_erra]

I may well be interested next year if any become available.

I think it might be a bit late to try and start a Nuc in the Cabrach this late in the season.

Unless anyone has any ideas on whether a nuc this late will survive the winter?

[Jon]

You should have plenty of time as long as the nuc is a decent size to start with, say covering 5 frames including 3 with brood.
If you have other colonies, you can build up a nuc very quickly by adding frames of brood just about to hatch.
A nuc can be built up to to a full colony in 3-4 weeks doing this.

[Hoomin_erra]

Well if the above price is right, and the nuc is a decent size, then yes, i'm interested.

jimb?

[Stromnessbees]

Hi Calum

I think there are several reasons for keeping the trading of bees as local as possible.

@ Even if - seen superficially - bees from different regions might have the same parasites and viruses, these might well be different strains which, transported to other areas and mixed with whatever is there, could turn out more virulent than before.

@ Importing bees is just an easy way out for those who make no or just half-hearted efforts to breed their own replacements. We should all try to become self-sufficient with our stocks and at the same time work on improving our local strains, then we will end up with bees that are perfectly able to handle local conditions and bring optimal yields.

@ It might be easier and therefore cheaper to produce bees further south, so you can, despite transport cost, offer your bees at a cheaper rate than we can here. It's probably better to let the price here develop according to local supply and demand.


It's great that you have made the effort of producing extra bees for sale. I am sure that you can sell your bees at a good price somewhere near you, if not now then in spring, when there is always a great demand.

All the best, Doris

[Calum]

Hi Doris,

many valid points there.
I was only being half serious, of the 14 colonies I have for sale, 6 are already reserved, I would not let any more go this year in case I need them myself to replace losses.

It will be hard to attract new beekeepers if we all have to be self sufficient in the future, not everyone wants to nor should have to. I would like to be myself, but untill I get into sending my bees of to special breeding sites (where there are only selected drones) there is no point in selecting, and with only 7-9 primary colonies I do not have enought selection choice. So I will have to buy new 'pure bred' queens from time to time.

It is important that clubs are self sufficient though, and it is good money for those that make the effort to do it right.
Here a queen costs 10-15€ unmated, to 15-25€ mated, so selling some queens can be a tidy little earner.
Nucs go for 10€ / frame of bees. So if my colonies come through I'll be sitting on about 1500€ there. But it wont be that much, I'll loose 2 I bet and likely sell them cheap as I don't like making money (well not from beginners).

Hi Calum

I think there are several reasons for keeping the trading of bees as local as possible.

@ Even if - seen superficially - bees from different regions might have the same parasites and viruses, these might well be different strains which, transported to other areas and mixed with whatever is there, could turn out more virulent than before.

@ Importing bees is just an easy way out for those who make no or just half-hearted efforts to breed their own replacements. We should all try to become self-sufficient with our stocks and at the same time work on improving our local strains, then we will end up with bees that are perfectly able to handle local conditions and bring optimal yields.

@ It might be easier and therefore cheaper to produce bees further south, so you can, despite transport cost, offer your bees at a cheaper rate than we can here. It's probably better to let the price here develop according to local supply and demand.


It's great that you have made the effort of producing extra bees for sale. I am sure that you can sell your bees at a good price somewhere near you, if not now then in spring, when there is always a great demand.

All the best, Doris