Guaranteed Live Arrival — Queen Bees
Premium Buckfast (Danish lines) & Carniolan (Slovenian lines) queens — all marked, UK-mated in Dorset where applicable, selected for hygienic behaviour and calm handling. Shipped safely with our live-arrival guarantee.
Live Arrival Guarantee
Immediate support if anything isn’t perfect
All Queens Marked
Easy to find & verify in the colony
Dorset Mating & Adaptation
Local drones selected for robust UK performance
Royal Mail Special Delivery
Next-day by 1pm; secure attendants & fondant
Virgins = Transport Resilience
No stored sperm → reduced heat-stress risk
NBU Hygiene & Biosecurity
Hygienic lines; rigorous handling standards
Secure Checkout
Trusted payments; friendly support if needed
Queen Bees for Sale UK – Buckfast & Carniolan Queens Bred for Success
At Jurassic Bees in Dorset, we provide premium mated Buckfast queens, virgin Buckfast queens, UK-mated Carniolan queens, and virgin Carniolan queens bred for strength, productivity, and resilience in the UK climate. Our queens combine the best European genetics with local adaptation, making them perfectly suited for British beekeepers.
Our Buckfast queens are grafted from F0 breeder queens supplied by leading Danish bee breeders Ivan Nielson and Peter Stoffen, renowned for maintaining pure Buckfast lines in Northern Denmark. Our Carniolan queens are grafted directly from F0 Slovenian breeder queens. All queens are then mated and tested in Dorset, blending proven genetics with adaptation to local conditions.
To achieve the highest standards, we carefully select drone mother colonies from our best stock and exchange genetics with other trusted bee farmers across the UK. Working closely with neighbouring beekeepers also ensures our drone congregation areas are rich in genetic diversity. This produces queens that are calm, productive, and display exceptional hygienic behaviour—a natural defence that strengthens colony health and helps manage disease.
By choosing a queen from Jurassic Bees, you are investing in a locally adapted, disease-resistant, and productive colony. Whether you prefer a Buckfast queen for honey production and gentle handling, or a Carniolan queen for winter hardiness and fast spring build-up, our bees are bred to give you the very best results.
Queen Bees for Sale UK
Buckfast and Carniolan queens — mated and virgin.
Danish F1 Mated Buckfast Queen
F1 mated Buckfast queens selected for calm temperament and strong spring build-up.
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Danish F1 Virgin Buckfast Queen
Virgin Buckfast queens ready for mating in your local conditions.
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Dorset Carniolan Virgin Queen
Virgin Carniolan queens noted for fast spring growth and gentle handling.
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UK Mated Carniolan Queen
UK-mated Carniolan queens with steady temperament and strong foraging.
View queen✅ Guaranteed Live Arrival
All of our queens are shipped via Royal Mail Special Delivery in secure packaging, with attendants and fondant for their comfort. We guarantee your queen will arrive alive and healthy — giving you peace of mind when ordering online.
Buckfast Queens — Northern Denmark Breeder Lines
Our Buckfast queens are grafted from F0 breeder queens supplied by leading Danish bee breeders Ivan Nielson and Peter Stoffen. Raised in Northern Denmark and mated here in Dorset, they combine elite genetics with local adaptation, producing calm, productive, and resilient colonies.
Origin
F0 breeder queens from Ivan Nielson & Peter Stoffen (Northern Denmark).
Temperament
Exceptionally gentle, making hive inspections easy and stress-free.
Performance
Strong brood patterns, reliable build-up, and excellent honey yields.
Health
High levels of hygienic behaviour and natural resilience to common diseases.
Adaptation
Mated and tested in Dorset, combining European genetics with UK conditions.
Options
Available as Virgin or Mated Queens for all beekeeping needs.
Carniolan Queens — Slovenian Breeder Lines
Our Carniolan queens are grafted from F0 breeder queens sourced directly from Slovenia, the homeland of the Carniolan bee. Mated in Dorset, they combine proven European genetics with local adaptation, resulting in hardy, calm, and productive colonies ideal for the UK climate.
Origin
F0 breeder queens from Slovenia — maintaining pure Carniolan lines.
Temperament
Calm and steady; ideal for both new and experienced beekeepers.
Adaptability
Excel in damp, variable UK weather with reliable performance.
Performance
Rapid spring build-up and efficient use of forage for high yields.
Health
Strong hygienic behaviour with moderated swarming tendencies.
Options
Available as Virgin or UK-Mated Queens, tested in Dorset.
Why Choose Jurassic Bees
UK-bred queens with elite European genetics and true local adaptation — perfect for beekeepers searching for queen bees for sale UK, Buckfast queen bees UK, and Carniolan queen bees UK.
Proven F0 Genetics
Buckfast grafted from F0 breeder queens (Ivan Nielson & Peter Stoffen, Northern Denmark); Carniolan grafted from F0 Slovenian queens for purity and performance.
Locally Mated in Dorset
All queens are mated and tested in Dorset — combining imported breeder quality with UK-specific adaptation and reliability.
Drone Diversity
We select drone mother colonies from our best stock and partner with neighbouring beekeepers to enrich local drone congregation areas.
Genetic Exchange
We trade genetics with trusted bee farmers across the UK to maintain robust diversity and strengthen core traits season after season.
Hygienic Behaviour
Breeder lines are chosen for high hygienic behaviour — supporting colony health and helping manage disease pressures.
Calm & Productive
Queens are selected for gentle handling, strong brood patterns, and dependable honey yields in the variable UK climate.
The Benefits of Virgin Queens
Virgin queen bees are an excellent choice for beekeepers who want flexibility and strong local adaptation. Here’s why they can be the right option for your apiary:
Local Adaptation
Virgin queens mate in your local environment, combining proven breeder genetics with the strongest local drones — ensuring colonies are perfectly adapted to your area.
Safe Transport
Because they do not yet carry sperm, virgin queens are less vulnerable to damage from overheating during transport, making them more resilient for shipping.
Cost-Effective
Virgins are typically more affordable than mated queens, giving you an economical way to expand or requeen your colonies.
Flexibility
You control the mating process, which means you can pair virgin queens with the drone populations you prefer for specific traits like docility or honey yield.
Genetic Strength
Introducing virgins allows for greater genetic diversity through natural mating flights, leading to robust and resilient colonies.
Practical Timing
Ideal if you want to requeen at a time that suits your local forage and conditions, as they can be introduced quickly and mated naturally.
Virgin vs Mated Queens — Which Should You Choose?
Both virgin and mated queens have advantages. We recommend virgin queens for smaller colonies such as nucs or mini mating hives, while mated queens are a straightforward option for larger established colonies.
| Virgin Queens | Mated Queens |
|---|---|
| Best introduced into smaller colonies like nucs or mini mating hives (e.g. Apideas), where they mate faster and more reliably. | Ready to introduce directly into larger colonies, including full-size hives. |
| Shipped at 5 days old, having been fed and strengthened in our virgin queen bank by nurse bees. | Supplied fully mated and observed for brood pattern before dispatch. |
| Usually go on mating flights within days of introduction, and are often in lay within 2 weeks. | Already mated, so they can start laying sooner — though they may need a settling period after introduction. |
| Comparable to imported queens (which we don’t sell) in terms of time to laying — but without the stress of long-distance transport. | Reliable laying pattern already confirmed before arrival, giving immediate confidence to the beekeeper. |
| Excellent for local adaptation — they mate with local drones, adding resilience and diversity to your colony. | Provide predictable performance straight away, ideal for beekeepers who need consistency. |
Ready to Strengthen Your Hives?
Choose from Northern Denmark Buckfast or Slovenian Carniolan queens, reared and tested in Dorset for the UK climate.
How to Introduce a QueenMarked Queens for Easy Identification
All of our queens — both virgin and mated — are supplied marked. This small but important detail makes beekeeping easier and ensures transparency.
Clarity & Confidence
Marking ensures you can clearly see and identify your queen, giving you confidence that the virgin or mated queen introduced is the same queen you purchased.
No Impact on Success
Research and our own results show that marked virgin queens achieve the same level of successful mating as unmarked queens — with the added benefit of being easier to find in the colony.
Queen Bee FAQs
How are queens shipped?
We use Royal Mail Special Delivery (next-day by 1pm). Queens are packed securely with attendants and fondant to ensure safe arrival.
When will my queen be posted?
We usually ship early in the week to avoid weekend delays. The exact timing depends on weather conditions and queen readiness.
How do I introduce my queen?
Use a slow-release method into a queenless colony. For full steps, see our Hive How-To’s guide.
At what age are virgin queens shipped?
Virgin queens are shipped when they are 5 days old. This allows them time in our queen bank to be fed and strengthened by nurse bees before travel.
How long until virgin queens mate and begin laying?
Virgin queens usually go on mating flights within a few days of introduction. They are typically in lay within 2 weeks, making them comparable to imported queens (which often take the same time after transport before laying again).
Where should I introduce a virgin queen?
We recommend introducing virgin queens into smaller colonies such as nucs or mini mating hives (e.g. Apideas). In smaller colonies they mate faster and establish more reliably.
Are your queens marked?
Yes — all our queens, both mated and virgin, are supplied marked. This makes them easier to find in a colony and gives you confidence that the queen introduced is the same one purchased. Marking does not affect mating success.
Ready to Strengthen Your Apiary?
Explore our full range of queens, nucs, and hives, or learn more from our beekeeping guides. Every queen is bred for performance and adapted to thrive in the UK climate.