Where to buy Bees?

[bobbees]

I live in Bardstown KY area and I am not real happy with the Quality of bees I recieved form Kelly's last year. Don't get me wrong I love Kelly's I would just like another source that is not too far to drive. I am mainly looking for NUCs.

Thanks

[NewbeeNnc]

Have you tried to find some local beeks or bee club members that would sell you a Nuc, split, or swarm?

[honeydreams]

go to dadant on their web site has list of places by state that sells bees.

[suttonbeeman]

bobbees

I will have nucs available around April 10. date depends on weather. Hopefully first week of april. bees can be picked up in Lancaster, KY (about a hour from you). I make up the nucs in Fl from my bees and use cordovan Italian queens unless someone wants carnolian and there are enough to warrant going to get the cells. Nucs are 5 frames with a minumn of 4 frames bees brood and honey. (2-3 frames brood) There will be brood hatching and these bees will be readly to make honey first of May. $100/ea 10 or less $90 ea 11 up. Rick 859-304-3103

[gstephan1981]

Mann Lake, also, has a state-by-state listing of bee suppliers on their website. www.mannlakeltd.com.

[Omie]

Mann Lake, also, has a state-by-state listing of bee suppliers on their website. www.mannlakeltd.com.

Can you give a direct link?- I can't seem to find it on their website.

Or- if you mean the PDF link for queens and packages on this page:
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/news/publications.htm
...it's not working.

[RayMarler]

Here is a link to a PDF at Dadant that gives list of bee suppliers by state...

http://www.dadant.com/documents/Packagebeelist2008.pdf

[Deer Slayer]

I am not real happy with the Quality of bees I recieved form Kelly's last year.
Thanks

I ordered Russians for a April pick up. What exactly was to problem with Kelly's bees. Did I make a mistake?

[Merlyn Votaw]

The closest place form me is 150 miles.I can get them shipped but would prefer to pick them up myself. I live close to Joplin Mo.Does anyone know of a closer place?I am halfwaybetween Paris Tx. and a supplier in Neraska.

[NDnewbeek]

I keep a list (that I update each year with prices) of package bee suppliers, nucs and queens. I have some 25 package bee suppliers on it. The list is not yet complete for 2010 prices, but if anyone wants it (it is an Excel file), PM me an email address and I will send it to you.

The list also includes my past experiences with certain suppliers. I keep these records for my own purchasing decision making. No listed comments are intended to be an endorsement or criticism of any particular business - they are my experiences only.

[bobbees]

Nothing is wrong with Kelly's they give good service. I would like to get some Russian Nucs that do not offer plus I did have a couple of queens last year that didn't do very well, Maybe just bad luck

[suttonbeeman]

bobbees

EVERYONE had queen problems last year....rain rain rain made for bad mating. queen breeders cage the queen as soon as she starts laying...hard to tell then how good she is. Some queens will lay good for a month or so then fail....I believe this to be caused by both weather during mating and mite treatments which is why I dont use checkmite (chumphus) or apistan. Personally unless you really like the russians they may be mite resisitant but you will NEVER make the crops with russians that you will with italians, carnolians or mongrels. THey are too much prone to swarming, hard to requeen and in my opinion not good honey producers.

[KQ6AR]

I thought kelly was using Purvis bee's great bee's.
Could be wrong, may have been Brushy Mountain using Purvis in past years.

[Nabber86]

Start checking Craigslist starting in February/March. It shouldnt be hard to find Nucs for pick up witihin a reasonable distance.

[Dunkel]

We were well pleased with a dozen packages we got from Clay Guthrie in Frankfort. He is the dadant branch manager but sells packages he picks up in Ga. Usually on a weekend, in March and April. You can contact him at the business or through his website. We had two packages that had quenn problems but he sent two queens within two days no questions asked. That went a long ways with us. Smart Business.

[valleyman]

I ordered Russians for a April pick up. What exactly was to problem with Kelly's bees. Did I make a mistake?

I bought 2 swarms from Kelleys last spring. They did fine. I lost one of them this fall, my fault not theirs. I let them starve out of ignorance. Would definetly buy more. The Russians they have are hybrid. But I want all Russians and they don't have them.

[peacekeeperapiaries]

Jester Bee Company in Arkansas sells Russian NUCS (and 2 other breeds). I bought 22 from him this year, picked them up here in FL but I know he travels north with them as well as keeping bees in Arkansas over the summer. He has a website.

[CentralPAguy]

Today, I called Brushy Mountain (N. Carolina) and asked whether the Lewisburg PA location will have packages. I was told yes and to check back later this month for prices. They told me that they would have 2 and 3 pound packages.

[rmdial]

I just found this source by accident:

Kent Williams

580 STATE ROUTE 385 N

WINGO, KY 42088

kvwilliams@wk.net

270-841-2911

Good Luck.

Soapy

[SamG347]

Kelleys has great packages that they get from Hardeman Apiaries. I got 2 packages from them last year....the one queen was a champ the other wasn't so hot. But both got the hives good and started till I could get some local queens and requeen them. The strong queen actually swarmed but either the queen cells didn't take....or something so I had to get a new queen for that hive. I'm either going to be ordering bees through Gardners Apiaries...or Walter T Kelley again.