Nucleus colonies and queens are dispatched by royal mail special delivery. Most Nucs and Queens arrive by 1PM, though royal mail delays are outside of our control.

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Yes, the queens will be marked appropriately corresponding to the year of matine. Please note that the markings can wear off over time, but we will re-mark the queen before packaging if needed.

No, our queens are not clipped, and we do not provide a queen clipping service.

We are able to provide FREE delivery with all of our Paynes nucs. Abelo nucs are not able to be posted. We only use Royal mail special delivery. They are collected from us at 5:30pm by Royal mail. From there, they are shipped across the UK and delivered by 1pm the next day.

This is due to the unsuitability of the Abelo nuc to be shipped in the post. Due to its removable floor, crown board, roof and lack of ventilation, it is unsuitable for shipping. However, all Abelo nucs can be collected directly from us.

Yes. Collection of any nuc is possible. Collection days are usually Saturday or Sundays, though we can accommodate different times if necessary.

You must be home to sign for your nucs on the first delivery attempt to qualify for our live arrival guarantee. If missed, they will be automatically delivered the next day. Nucs can remain in excellent condition for several days in transit, and 99% of the time, they arrive the next day in perfect condition.

We cannot guarantee the exact time or date of delivery. While we use a ‘guaranteed’ delivery service, we do not offer refunds or rebates for delays. Due to the complexities of claiming for delays with Royal Mail, we do not pursue any losses from delayed deliveries.

Our overwintered nucs feature queens selected in the previous year in our apiaries in Dorset. Our spring nucs are prepared early season and use Queens selected from the very best European breeders and use Queens that are mated in the same year they are delivered. These usually arrive 4-6 weeks after our over wintered nucs. Our summer nucs use our own bred Queens, selected and mated on our apiary sites along the jurassic coast in Dorset.

Yes, you will receive a tracking code the day before your nuc is scheduled for delivery.

Yes, all nucs are treated with Apivar for varroa in August and are sublimated with Apibioxal in December to ensure a low mite load. We recommend starting your first treatment in August or September using Apivar.

Our nucleus colonies are collected from our home address. This is the case in order to reduce the risk of disease import to our apiary site. They are moved the night before collection from our apiary sites and as such they cannot be opened again as the many bees will be lost since they do not have chance to orientate. We offer a guarantee on all our nucs. If you have any concerns about your nuc upon arrival, please reach out to us for assistance.

Unfortunately, we cannot offer weekend delivery for nucs due to the risk of delays.

Yes, someone must be at home to sign for the nuc. We cannot use any delivery service that doesn’t require a signature.

No, deposits are non-refundable. We require a deposit to secure your order for the season, which helps us with planning and preparation. This includes purchasing necessary equipment such as nuc boxes, frames, queens, and wax based on current orders. Since bees are produced to order, cancellations can waste resources and time already allocated for your order.

Yes, we we offer collection or free delivery Of all our nucleus colonies in Dorset

Yes. We affectionately refer to our Bees as garden bees. They have been selected and bred specifically prioritising, gentle bees, calm on the comb, robust and suitable for the UK climate.