Dorset Carniolan Virgin Queen
Premium Carniolan Virgin Queen Bees
Grafted from elite Slovenian F0 breeder queens — our Carniolan Virgin Queens are the perfect start for raising locally adapted, high-performing colonies across the UK.
Grafted from Authentic Slovenian Breeder Queens
Our Carniolan Virgin Queens are grafted from F0 breeder queens sourced from a specialist Apis mellifera carnica breeding program in Slovenia. This pristine alpine region — the native home of the Carniolan bee — produces queens with exceptional genetics for hardiness, calm temperament, and productivity.
Each virgin queen represents the next generation of these pure Carniolan bloodlines, ready to mate in your own apiary and develop into a strong, regionally adapted colony.
Perfect for Local Mating & Adaptation
Once mated in your apiary, your virgin Carniolan queen’s offspring will inherit both the pure Carniolan lineage and your own local drone genetics. This natural combination produces bees that are better suited to your climate, forage, and conditions, ensuring a thriving colony year-round.
Virgin queens are ideal for beekeepers who prefer natural, open mating for maximum genetic diversity and sustainable local adaptation.
Why Choose Carniolan Queens?
- Gentle Temperament – exceptionally calm and easy to handle, even for beginners.
- Cold-Climate Hardiness – thrive in cool, damp weather similar to UK conditions.
- Rapid Spring Build-Up – quick colony expansion early in the season.
- High Honey Yields – efficient nectar gathering even in shorter summers.
- Frugal Overwintering – maintain smaller winter clusters, conserving stores and strength.
Ideal For Beekeepers & Breeders
- Perfect for queen rearing, splits, or requeening colonies.
- Ideal for creating locally adapted Carniolan lines.
- Supports sustainable beekeeping through natural selection.
Each virgin queen is hand-caged with attendants and dispatched securely to ensure she arrives ready to introduce to a mating nuc or queenless colony.
Quality Guarantee
- Live Arrival Guarantee – if your virgin queen arrives dead, we’ll replace her free of charge.
We take pride in ensuring every queen leaves our apiary in perfect condition, giving you the best possible start in your next colony.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these queens mated?
No — these are virgin queens, ready to mate naturally in your own apiary. Once mated, they’ll produce locally adapted Carniolan offspring.
Where do the genetics come from?
They’re grafted from F0 breeder queens sourced from a Carniolan bee breeding program in Slovenia — the original homeland of the Carniolan race.
Why choose a virgin queen?
Virgin queens allow for natural mating with drones from your area, combining elite Carniolan genetics with local adaptation for stronger colonies.
When should I introduce a virgin queen?
Introduce her to a queenless colony or mating nuc within a few days of emergence, during settled weather when drones are flying for best mating success.
Do you guarantee live arrival?
Yes. If your virgin queen arrives dead on delivery, we’ll replace her free of charge.
We will replace queens that are dead on arrival, provided they remain in their SEALED cage and are reported within 8 hours of the initial recorded delivery time. A video showing the deceased queen and your order number is required for replacement. All dead queens must be returned in their original sealed cages.
24-hour Royal Mail Special Delivery (Pre 1pm) with Signature REQUIRED. Queens are guaranteed to arrive alive. Please note, this service cannot deliver through a letterbox - £9.50.
Queens are expected to arrive the day AFTER dispatch. However, we cannot guarantee the exact day or time of delivery.
We guarantee the live arrival of your queens. If queens arrive damaged or dead, we will replace them free of charge.
Please ensure your address is 100% accurate. We are not liable for failed deliveries due to incorrect addresses or if you are unavailable to sign for your delivery.
All cancelled orders will incur a £5 restocking and payment processing fee.
We work hard as Queen breeders to maintain a consistent supply of queens, and cancellations make it challenging to accurately forecast demand throughout the year.
Additionally, our payment processing system incurs fees even when a refund is issued.
By placing an order on this website, you agree to and accept this cancellation charge.
