VSH (Varroa Sensitive Hygienic) and

Italian/Carniolan Cross 5-Frame Nucs

Discount Price $210 for 2026 season for Payment by Cash, Check, or Money Order

$ 217 (Payment by Card)

Additional Discount of $5 per NUC with purchase of 5 or more*

Please see below for the descriptions and common traits of the available types of bees.

We are now offering queen marking for $10 on a limited number of nucs on each load. Due to the additional time and rechecks needed when marking queens, NUCs with marked queens will not be available until the 2nd pickup day for each load.

Each nuc is inspected by the producers before shipping. We re-inspect each nuc before you pick it up to ensure it meets our quality standards and no shipping damage occurred. We schedule nuc pickups in the early morning or late evening so the nucs can be closed up when the foragers are all back at the hive, and the nucs can travel to their new home in the coolest part of the day.
To place an order, please give us a call at (660) 214-0132. If you have ordered from us before and your contact information has not changed, you may place your order by email.
Orders are not confirmed until payment is received. Bees are the only item that requires pre-payment. You will not get a refund if you fail to pick up your bees.

We schedule a free hands-on familiarization class one evening during the pickups days for each nuc load. We schedule the class on the best forecasted weather night. *This class is a supplement to, not a replacement for, a beginner's beekeeping class.

3 LBS. PACKAGES: We are awaiting pricing from our potential package suppliers for 2026. We will update the type and price information as soon as possible.

VSH (Varroa Sensitive Hygienic)

and

Italian/Carniolan Cross Starter Kits

(5-Frame nucs installed

in new equipment)

$365 for 2026 Season

(Payment by Cash, Check, or Money Order),

$377 (Payment by Card)

Starter nucs will include a new wax dipped deluxe bottom board, a new deep wax dipped hive body, 5 new assembled frames with foundation (the other 5 will be from the nuc), a new reversible notched inner cover, a new deluxe telescoping cover, a ratchet strap for transport, and a 5-frame nuc already installed in the equipment. This is a great option, if you may need a few extra days to pick up your bees. See our "Bee and Hive Kit Specials page" if you need a complete hive kit or a complete beginner's kit.

Please see below for the descriptions and common traits of the available types of bees.

We are now offering queen marking for $10 on a limited number of nucs on each load. Due to the additional time and rechecks needed when marking queens. NUCs with marked queens will not be available until the 2nd pickup day for each load.

To place an order, please give us a call at (660) 214-0132. If you have ordered from us before and your contact information has not changed, you may place your order by email.

Orders are not confirmed until payment is received. Bees are the only item that requires pre-payment. You will not get a refund if you fail to pick up your bees.

We schedule a free hands-on familiarization class one evening during the pickups days for each nuc load. We schedule the class on the best forecasted weather night. *This class is a supplement to, not a replacement for, a beginner's beekeeping class.

Options for Queens

1. We order in a few extra queens with our load of packaged bees each year. These queens ride in the cab with the drivers and arrive in much better shape than those shipped in the mail. 2026 price $? each. We will also have a few extra VSH queens coming in with the VSH Nuc load this year.

2. We keep a list of queen breeders in our area. If we don't have any available, we will help you find someone who does.

Bee Type Descriptions and Common Traits

VSH (Varroa Sensitive Hygienic)

We are excited this year to be able to offer VSH Nucs. The queens in these nucs will be the F1 (first generation) daughters of a artificially inseminated VSH breeder queens. The breeder queens are tested by the queen breeder to insure VSH traits.

Varroa Sensitive Hygienic honey bees are specially bred for their natural resistance to Varroa mites, the number one cause of hive loss. These bees detect and remove Varroa mite-infested brood cells, promoting hive health and reducing the need for chemical treatments. Their resistance leads to stronger, more productive hives and sustainable beekeeping practices. Although VSH nucs are much better at controlling mite populations, testing for varroa mites and treating, if needed, is still recommended.

Our personal experience with VSH bees: We have been very happy with the VSH hives we currently have in our own bee yards and will be adding more VSH stock this year. Their mite counts are lower and sometimes zero. We have also found them to be good honey producers.

Italian/Carniolan Cross

Our Italian/Carniolan Cross NUCs should arrive in early May. This cross has been a favorite with many of our customers over the last several years. The cross has the gentle nature that is common to both Italians and Carniolans. They are good honey producers. The weather is usually improving with a better nectar flow when this load arrives. This can be an advantage if you are starting brand new hives.

Our personal experience with Italian/Carniolan Cross bees: I have enjoyed working with these crosses. They are gentle, productive, and hardy. The queens we have had tend to stay productive longer than others.