When is the Best Time to Start a Beehive in the UK?

Starting your first hive is exciting — and timing matters. The season you choose to install a nucleus colony (nuc) can influence colony strength, swarming risk, honey yield, and how smoothly your first year goes. In the UK, most new beekeepers begin with one of three options: an Overwintered Nuc (April), a Spring Nuc (May), or a Summer Nuc (June). Below, we’ll explain the benefits of each and help you choose.

❄️ Overwintered Nucs (April)

An Overwintered Nucleus Colony has already survived winter and is poised to expand rapidly as soon as temperatures rise. It’s the earliest start and typically the fastest build-up.

• Proven strength: queens and colonies tested through winter; selected for hardiness and productivity.
• Earliest start to the season: maximum time for growth and preparation before winter returns.
• Split potential & swarm prevention: strong colonies are more likely to try to swarm unless managed — which creates an opportunity to make a split to prevent swarming.
• Use the supplied 6-frame poly nuc box: you can make that split using the nuc box your bees arrive in. This is a key advantage over cheaper 5-frame correx or wooden nuc boxes, because the supplied poly box can double as a second hive.
• Expected first-year honey yield: typically 20–30 kg, depending on weather and management.

Explore Overwintered Nucs (April)

🌱 Spring Nucs (May)

A Spring Nuc is made up with a freshly mated queen early in the season. By May, forage is abundant and colonies can expand quickly — this is the most common choice for beginners.

• Fresh queens: newly mated queens are less likely to attempt swarming in their first season.
• Balanced start: a mix of brood, pollen, and honey stores sets the colony up for smooth growth.
• Two-colony resilience (when conditions allow): with strong growth, you may create a spare nuc to overwinter, giving you a backup for winter losses and enabling resource sharing between colonies (e.g., providing eggs to rescue a queenless hive).
• Expected first-year honey yield: typically 20–30 kg, even if you raise a spare nuc for winter.

Explore Spring Nucs (May)

🌞 Summer Nucs (June)

If you’re starting later, a Summer Nuc is still an excellent way to begin. Queens are laying strongly and colonies include brood in all stages, pollen, and honey stores.

• Fast build-up: supplied with brood at all stages so the colony can expand quickly in warm weather.
• Split is still possible: you can create a split from a vigorous summer colony, but you should expect reduced honey yields as a trade-off.
• Yield expectations: plan for 0–10 kg in the first year — it’s often best to assume no crop and focus on building a strong colony for next season.

Explore Summer Nucs (June)

Which Option Should You Choose?

• Overwintered Nucs (April): best for the earliest possible start, rapid growth, and strong honey potential — plus early split potential using the supplied 6-frame poly nuc box.
• Spring Nucs (May): the most popular and reliable choice for beginners — fresh queen, strong growth, and realistic 20–30 kg first-year yield.
• Summer Nucs (June): ideal for later starters — focus on building colony strength (expect 0–10 kg), with the option to split if growth is excellent.

No matter the season, start with a strong, healthy nucleus colony headed by a UK-mated Buckfast queen. All Jurassic Bees nucs are supplied on new frames with fresh wax and foundation for a clean, disease-free start.

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At-a-Glance Comparison

Note: Honey yields vary with weather, forage, and management. Prioritise colony health and resilience in year one; the honey follows.

Ready to Begin?

All Jurassic Bees nucs include a UK-mated Buckfast queen and are supplied on new frames with fresh wax and foundation for a clean, disease-free start. Choose your season and pre-order below.

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