Spring '25 Nucs - Pre-Ordering now open for Spring 2025 Nucs!

***Please read the terms of sale at the bottom of this page***

Nucs will be 5 frames in a wooden, plastic or cardboard nuc box which you keep; 1st year laying Queens, 2 brood frames, 2 honey/pollen/brood, 1 empty/being worked. No frame exchange.

Nucs will be $185 plus tax (7.5%). Total each with tax is $198.88.
Prices may change after December 2024.

Pick up will be at our retail store in Canandaigua, NY. Nucs will be ready for pickup, weather dependent, sometime mid to late April thru May. Please select from 3 pickup options during checkout- (1st) Mid to Late April, (2nd) Late April to Early May and (3rd) Early to Mid May. Please note, once we notify you that your nuc is ready to pickup, it is your responsibility to arrange your schedule so you can pick up your nuc during our nuc pickup time & date window provided in the email we send. Failure to do so, may result in additional feed & care charges, forfeit of your deposit, and or Loss of your nuc. If you are worried about how to care for your nuc in cooler weather, do not select the 1st pickup, as there sometimes is a chance of cooler weather for that pickup, and you will need to be able to care for and feed your nuc for their survival. 

We do not ship our nucs, pick up only. Discounts available for 10 or more nucs ordered. Please call or email us for more info regarding discounts or see our website for more details. Visit our Contact Us page on our website for more inquiries, www.HungryBearFarms.com or call us at 585-412-8745.

While Honey Bees are considered livestock, in the state of NY, livestock are personal tangible property subject to sales tax. Sales tax of 7.5% will be applied to all sales, unless you provide a properly filled out NYS sales tax exemption form. The website is not setup to take your sales tax exemption form. Please call us if you are sales tax exempt so we can assist you. Starting 1/1/24, we will be requiring new and updated NYS sales tax exemption forms, no exceptions. 

NUC PICK UP OPTIONS - QTYS AVAILABLE*

1st Pick Up- Mid to Late April - Tentatively arriving the last 2 weeks of April.  SOLD OUT for 2025

2nd Pick Up- Late April / Early May - Tentatively arriving the last week of April 1st week of May.

3rd Pick Up- Early to Mid May - Tentatively arriving 2nd week of May

4th Pick Up- Mid to late May - Not Available at this time.

Terms of Sale for Nucs & Packages:

We kindly request your understanding regarding the following policies:

Refund Policy: All prepaid orders for live bees (nucs/packages/queens) are non-refundable. Bees are vital to agriculture, constituting an essential business that operates continuously. Nucs, packages, and queens are produced in advance by our beekeepers, and as such, we cannot accommodate order cancellations or refunds. Business operations and bee pickups remain uninterrupted regardless of COVID and or other restrictions.

Nuc/Package/Queen Pickup: Once notified of your nuc/package/queen's readiness, it is your responsibility to arrange your schedule for timely pickup during the specified window, as detailed in our email communication. Failure to adhere may result in additional charges, forfeiture of your deposit, or potential loss or your nuc/package/queen. When selecting a pickup option, you agree to be readily available for retrieval of your nuc/package/queen with as little as 24-hour notice within the designated date window, irrespective of weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances. We aim to provide ample notice of the delivery time within the pickup window.

Care and Responsibility: Nucs/packages/queens are living beings, and by purchasing them, you commit to providing the best possible care. This includes adhering to the provided pickup time and date window. The setup of these windows involves various logistical considerations, prioritizing the well-being of both the bees and our customers.

It is also expected that you will follow modern and scientific-proven beekeeping practices to provide the best care possible for your bees. Modern day beekeeping requires beekeepers to inspect their colonies for a variety of aspects on a regular basis. We strongly encourage you to join a local bee club, partake in a beginning beekeeping class and find an experienced and qualified mentor. We offer a beginning beekeeping class found at https://www.hungrybearfarms.com/classes/.

For more information on best practices, we recommend referring to Cornell’s CALS website for Dyce Labs and Honey Bee Studies, https://cals.cornell.edu/pollinator-network/beekeeping.

Your commitment to providing the highest quality of care to your bees is genuinely appreciated.

Nucs: Our nucs consist of 5 deep frames within a wooden, plastic, or cardboard nuc box, which you retain. Each nuc comprises 1st-year laying Queens, 1-2 brood frames, 1-3 frames containing honey, pollen, or brood, and 0-1 frame that may be empty or in the process of being worked.

Any concerns or issues with your nuc must be promptly reported to Hungry Bear Farms within 7 calendar days. Our policy dictates that any nuc with issues should be returned to us in the same condition as when provided within 3 calendar days of notifying us. The resolution of these issues is solely at our discretion.

Please be aware that we cannot guarantee the establishment, survival, or productivity of the nuc. We cannot be held responsible for the well-being of your nuc or hive once they are under your care. Your understanding of these terms is greatly appreciated.

Packages of Bees: Responsibility for packages of bees shifts to the customer upon pick-up. We guarantee that the packages contain 3 or more pounds of bees (unless specified otherwise in the product description) at the time of preparation. There should not be more than one inch of dead bees evenly spread across the bottom of the package upon customer pick-up.

Once the package is in the purchaser's possession, Hungry Bear Farms bears no further responsibility. The package has been inspected at the time of pick-up and found to meet the specified requirements.

Please be aware that we cannot ensure the establishment, survival, or productivity of package bees. We cannot be held responsible for the well-being of your package or hive once they are under your care.

Queens: While we guarantee that queens are alive upon pickup, we cannot guarantee their successful introduction or acceptance by your hive. The introduction’s success depends on various factors, including your apicultural techniques. Hungry Bear Farms does not bear responsibility for the queen's survival in your hive or for your hive's condition and productivity following introduction. The responsibility for queens and the risk of their loss is transferred to the customer upon pickup.

Risk and Responsibility: The responsibility for nucs/packages/queens, as well as the risk of loss concerning the nuc/package/queen, shifts to the customer upon pickup. Nucs/packages/queens are guaranteed to meet specific conditions at the time of pickup, as described above and in the product description. Following pickup, there are no further responsibilities on the part of Hungry Bear Farms, as the nucs/packages/queens have been inspected to meet these requirements.

All our normal terms and conditions also apply as seen here- Shipping & Returns.

Your understanding and cooperation with these policies are greatly appreciated as we continue to provide quality beekeeping products and services.