Our honey bees
Carefully raised British honey bees, supplied as healthy, settled colonies.
National and Langstroth formats
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Nucs, complete hives, and business-scale packages
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National and Langstroth formats ❋ Nucs, complete hives, and business-scale packages ❋
Browse our honey bee range
From nucleus colonies to complete hives and commercial setups, each option is raised to the same standard and prepared with practical beekeeping in mind.
Description 🐝
A complete beehive with honeybees is the most established way to begin beekeeping.
Unlike a nuc, which still needs time to build up, a complete overwintered hive has already survived a full season and winter as a colony. That means the queen is proven, the workforce is established, and the colony is ready to continue developing as soon as the season allows.
This option is suited to those who want to start with a settled colony from day one, as well as experienced keepers looking to add a hive that doesn’t need early-stage build-up.
You can choose from the following setups:
Colony on 5 frames with flatpack cedar hive at £640
Colony on 5 frames with assembled cedar hive at £690
What you’ll receive
Each National hive includes:
• Open mesh floor with entrance block
• Brood box with 11 DN4 frames and wax foundation
• Plastic queen excluder
• Two supers with 11 SN4 frames and foundation
• Crown board with central feed hole
• 4” roof
Availability is limited each season, and colonies are allocated based on order date.
As a thank you, each order includes a free uncapping knife.
Important notes
Honey bees are livestock, and colony readiness is influenced by spring weather and natural development. For this reason, availability and timing can vary from season to season.
Once an order is placed, it is added to our list and fulfilled in the order received. We’ll keep you updated as colonies progress and will contact you when your hive is ready to arrange placement.
Delivery is arranged case by case.
Collection may be required depending on location.
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Questions?
If you’d like further information about hive options, colony suitability, or what to expect through the season, please get in touch:
📧 bees@email.com
📞 lekdfep
Bees for Business 🐝
We offer honey bees for those looking to build their own beekeeping and honey business. This option is best suited to people with some practical experience handling bees, although support and consultancy can be provided for those who are newer to working at scale.
From our experience, starting with multiple hives is the most effective way to approach beekeeping as a business. Beginning with 10–20 working hives allows you to spread risk, learn quickly, and generate meaningful production within your first season. Even in more challenging years, well-managed colonies can still produce a solid crop.
Working hives & production
Working hives are priced at £340 per hive.
Honey yields depend on forage availability, weather conditions, and management. Colonies that are moved to follow nectar flows can significantly increase production, but this requires additional experience and planning.
Whatever the size of your first harvest, the long-term value remains the same: you retain the bees, drawn comb, wax, and equipment for future seasons.
We can also introduce buyers to established honey businesses that purchase honey in bulk, providing a potential outlet for larger harvests if required.
What’s included
The Bees for Business package includes:
Used British Standard National brood boxes
A settled colony of Carniolan or Buckfast bees
Drawn Hoffman frames
Floor and 4” roof
All equipment is British National, keeping management straightforward and consistent. Colonies, queens, frames, and wax are seasoned and overwintered, and each hive is checked prior to leaving us to ensure a healthy starting point.
You’ll need to supply your own ratchet straps and travelling screens for transportation.
Ordering & payment
Collections take place during the spring and summer months, giving you the season ahead to manage and develop your colonies.
Orders are fulfilled in the order they are placed, and availability is limited.
A long-term approach
Beekeeping as a business is built over time. With good husbandry and consistent management, your colonies and equipment continue working for you year after year.
Questions?
If you’d like to discuss scale, experience level, or whether this option is right for you, please get in touch:
📧 bees@localhoneyman.co.uk
Description 🐝
Our British Langstroth honey bee nucs are raised to the same standard as our National nucs, with a focus on calm temperament, strong colony health, and ease of handling on the comb. They’re suitable for those starting out in beekeeping, as well as experienced keepers, and are well settled and straightforward to work during inspections.
These nucs are prepared in standard Langstroth equipment for keepers who run Langstroth hives. The bees themselves are selected and managed to the same standard across both formats.
Nucs are supplied as overwintered or spring-developed colonies, depending on seasonal conditions.
£290 per British Langstroth nuc
This price is payable in full at the time of ordering.
What you’ll receive
Each nuc includes:
• A proven, laying British queen
• Frames of brood at all stages
• Frames of food stores
• Healthy, settled worker bees
• Standard British National format, ready to transfer into your hive
As a thank you, you’ll also receive a free uncapping knife with every nuc order.
Timing, collection & delivery
Nucs will be available from Spring 2026, subject to weather conditions and colony development.
We’ll contact you closer to the time to confirm availability and discuss the most suitable option for collection or delivery, depending on your location and setup.
Once notified, nucs must be placed within 14 days to minimise the risk of swarming. If we’re unable to reach you after multiple attempts to arrange placement, the order may be cancelled and the nuc offered to the next customer.
Important notes
• Delivery is arranged case by case
• Collection may be required depending on location
• Availability is limited and seasonal
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Questions?
If you’d like to discuss delivery, location, or suitability before ordering, we’re happy to chat:
📧 bees@email.com
📞 lekdfep
Description 🐝
Healthy, British-bred honey bees, ready to give your apiary a strong start.
Our British National honey bee nucs are selected for calm temperament, strong colony health, and ease of handling on the comb. They’re well suited to new beekeepers starting their first colony, as well as experienced keepers looking to expand with reliable, well-settled bees.
Nucs are supplied as overwintered or spring-developed colonies, depending on seasonal conditions.
£280 per British National nuc
This price is payable in full at the time of ordering.
What you’ll receive
Each nuc includes:
• A proven, laying British queen
• Frames of brood at all stages
• Frames of food stores
• Healthy, settled worker bees
• Standard British National format, ready to transfer into your hive
As a thank you, you’ll also receive a free uncapping knife with every nuc order.
Timing, collection & delivery
Nucs will be available from Spring 2026, subject to weather conditions and colony development.
We’ll contact you closer to the time to confirm availability and discuss the most suitable option for collection or delivery, depending on your location and setup.
Once notified, nucs must be placed within 14 days to minimise the risk of swarming. If we’re unable to reach you after multiple attempts to arrange placement, the order may be cancelled and the nuc offered to the next customer.
Important notes
• Delivery is arranged case by case
• Collection may be required depending on location
• Availability is limited and seasonal
———
Questions?
If you’d like to discuss delivery, location, or suitability before ordering, we’re happy to chat:
📧 bees@email.com
📞 lekdfep
Prices are listed, and orders are placed by getting in touch.
Whatever you’re building, start with the right bees.
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We’re beekeepers first. Everything we do is shaped by working with our own bees and understanding what actually matters once a colony is in the hive. We raise and supply honey bees with care, clarity, and a long-term view, focusing on stock we’d be confident running ourselves.
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We believe a good start makes all the difference. That means calm bees, proven queens, and honest guidance about what to expect through the season. We work carefully with timing and availability, and we take the time to place colonies properly rather than rushing them out the door.
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We work with new beekeepers taking their first step, experienced keepers expanding an apiary, and those building something larger. Whatever the scale, our focus is the same, supplying reliable bees and helping people start with confidence.
How our bees are raised
A look at our apiary and how we work with our bees day to day. This is the environment and approach behind every colony we supply.
Why buy bees from us? 🐝
We don’t sell bees as a commodity. We place colonies that have been raised, managed, and selected to perform well in real UK conditions. Every colony we supply is built around three things, calm behaviour, steady development, and long-term reliability.
Our aim is simple, to supply bees we’d be confident running ourselves.
Whatever you’re building, your first hive or a larger operation, we’re here to help you take the next step with confidence. Get in touch.