Slovenian Carniolan Queen Bees — Premium Pedigree
Premium Mated Carniolan Queen Bees - Premium Pedigree
Gentle, productive and perfectly conditioned — our Mated Carniolan Queens are sourced from the renowned Apis Mellifera Carnica breeding program in Slovenia and carefully revitalised here at Jurassic Bees before dispatch to ensure the highest possible acceptance rate.
Bred in Slovenia’s Kozjansko Biosphere Reserve
These queens are raised and naturally mated by Apis Mellifera Carnica — a specialist breeder based in the pristine Kozjansko Biosphere Reserve in Slovenia. The area’s unspoiled landscape, rich forage and genetic isolation make it one of Europe’s best environments for pure Carniolan stock.
The result is a queen line known for gentle temperament, rapid spring build-up, excellent honey yields and outstanding overwintering ability — ideal for both hobbyist and commercial beekeepers.
Refreshed and Ready to Perform
When the queens arrive with us in Dorset, they are immediately introduced into a nucleus colony and allowed to settle, refresh and begin laying again. This short laying period ensures the queen is replenished, strong, and producing fresh brood — giving you a queen that smells and behaves like an actively laying queen at the time of dispatch.
Each queen is then selected from her nuc the day before delivery and caged with healthy attendant bees. This process dramatically improves acceptance rates as the queen’s pheromones are strong and natural, ready to be welcomed into her new colony.
Dispatch & Guarantee
- Dispatched in a secure queen cage with a healthy number of nurse bees as attendants.
- Picked on the day before dispatch for peak condition and vitality.
- Guaranteed live arrival — any queens dead on arrival are replaced at no cost.
- Performance guarantee — if your queen becomes a drone layer before the end of September, we’ll replace or refund her.
All queens are shipped via Royal Mail Special Delivery to ensure safe, next-day arrival in perfect condition.
Why Choose Carniolan Queens?
- Exceptionally gentle temperament — perfect for beginners and calm apiaries.
- Explosive spring build-up and strong honey production.
- Highly frugal overwintering and disease resistance.
- Low swarming tendency compared to other races.
Every queen from Jurassic Bees combines excellent genetics with careful post-arrival management to give you the best possible start in your new colony.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are these Carniolan queens bred?
These queens are raised and naturally mated by a specialist Carniolan breeder in Slovenia. They are not bred by us; we import them, then carefully condition them in nucs at Jurassic Bees (Dorset, UK) prior to dispatch.
How are queens prepared before you send them to me?
On arrival from Slovenia, each queen is immediately introduced to a small nucleus colony. She is released, allowed to refresh, and begins laying again. We then select her from the nuc the day before delivery and place her in a queen cage with a healthy number of attendant nurse bees. This ensures strong pheromones and a proven laying pattern, which significantly improves acceptance.
How are queens dispatched?
Queens are dispatched in a secure queen cage with attendant nurse bees. We use Royal Mail Special Delivery for next-day arrival where available.
Do you guarantee live arrival?
Yes. We guarantee live arrival. If a queen arrives dead on delivery, we will replace her at no cost.
What is your policy on drone layers?
If a queen turns into a drone layer before the end of September, we will replace her or issue a refund. Please contact us promptly with your findings and hive notes so we can help.
What’s the recommended timeline for introducing the queen?
• Ensure the colony is truly queenless.
• After 8 days, return and remove all queen cells.
• Place the caged queen (with attendants) between two brood frames.
• After 24 hours, return and open the tab to expose the fondant.
• Replace the cage between two brood frames and leave for 7 days before checking for acceptance.
Tip: Keep entrances small, avoid disturbing the colony during introduction, and ensure adequate nectar/syrup is available.
When will my queen be shipped?
We select queens from their nucs the day before dispatch to ensure peak condition, then ship via Royal Mail Special Delivery (usually next-day). You’ll receive tracking details once handed over.
What if my colony rejects the queen?
Rejections are rare when the introduction steps are followed, but they can happen. Contact us quickly—share your timings, hive notes, and photos if possible. We’ll help troubleshoot to get you successful acceptance.
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.
