for Vancouver Island
*If you are a new beekeeper we strongly recommend you start with a NUC (usually in May and June) and not a Package of bees in March.
What is a NUC: In layman terms it is an established colony of bees on 4 or 5 frames that you put into your wooden hive box between other new frames. These 4 or 5 frames have a queen, lots of bees, eggs, brood, nectar and pollen plus some space for the queen to keep laying.
We recommend that new beekeepers begin with a NUC (as opposed to a package of bees that are imported in March)
NUCS should include an active laying queen; have 2-3 frames of Brood, 1 frame of food (nectar and pollen) and empty comb so the the queen can continue to lay. The Brood will be in different stages – eggs, larvae, and capped.
Availability April-July (It depends on the weather and on when Queens are ready)
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Supplies that we recommend you buy: Hive Kit #3 and Tool Set #1
We highly recommend that you take the FREE Online COURSE offered by the BC Government.
Other courses are offered by many bee clubs and Royal Roads University.
We love helping new beekeepers figure out what they need for the first season.
Videos on How to Install a NUC:
