Nucleus Hive with Bees

Alabama Nucleus Hive With Bees And Queen We've had a great year getting nucleus hives to customers in 2025. The new location has worked out extremely well, and traffic flow has been great. Thank you for all of your support in 2025. If you're interested in getting first notice of 2027 nucs, sign up through this link, and we'll notify you when we have dates available. They sell out every year, so it's wise to get notice of their availability early. Start your beekeeping journey or plan for expansion with our Alabama Nucleus Hives, available in 8-frame and 5-frame options, complete with Italian genetic bees for a gentle, easy-to-manage experience. Pickup is in Irondale, Alabama at our retail location on the day you choose during checkout. 300 Honey Lane, Irondale, Alabama 35210 Pickup is in the morning. We will send specific details for pickup at least 14 days prior to pickup. See our video on how to install a nucleus hive. Each nucleus hive includes deep frames and essential equipment, so you can transfer them directly to your permanent hive. If buying one of our overwintered hives, you can keep your nuc directly in the 8-frame equipment it comes in. Pickup and Transfer Details When picking up the bees, the entrances will be closed. But bees may be on the outside of the hive, and hives can and will open in a car accident. We highly recommend ordering a Buzz Bag with your bees. We'll place it around your bees and have it zipped closed for pickup. We made these custom for moving bees, and they're far better than a "laundry bag" — those have several issues and aren't great for moving nucs or 8-frame hives. They work OK for package bees, but we don't sell package bees. If ordering an overwintered 8-frame hive, use the Single Buzz Bag. If ordering a 5-frame nuc, use a Nuc Buzz Bag. Pickup is available in Irondale, Alabama, on Saturday mornings. These colonies are designed to develop into strong, productive colonies and come from excellent stock. We've been selling nucleus hives for years and have excellent customer reviews with these great Alabama genetics. We'll email you details about picking up your bees, so be sure to use the correct email and phone number. If you're a beginner beekeeper, be sure to read our master guide on getting started with bees, or take a look at our entire beekeeping blog for more information. Key Features and Benefits Italian Genetics: Known for their gentle nature, making hive management smoother for all beekeepers. Overwintered Nuc: Includes an 8-frame painted wooden bottom board, eight deep frames with foundation, and an 8-frame migratory cover. There are 4-5 frames of brood and a laying queen, and the remaining 2-3 frames are a mixture of honey, pollen, and room to grow. 5-Frame Nuc: Includes a pro-nuc plastic hive that can be reused as a swarm trap or for making splits, 3-4 frames of brood, a laying queen, and 1-2 frames of pollen, honey, and room to grow. Flexible Equipment: Choose between 8-frame and 5-frame options, with overwintered queens in 8-frame hives for a stronger start in early spring. Irondale Pickup: Convenient store pickup with early access hours for nuc customers. Expert Support: Access our beekeeping blog and master guide for tips, guidance, and video tutorials on nucleus hive installation. Usage Instructions Reserve your nucleus hive with a pre-order deposit, and plan for pickup on your chosen pickup date. Once you pick up your hive, have your permanent hive equipment ready for an easy transfer. Follow our step-by-step video guide for proper installation and aim to transfer your bees the same day for the best results. It's essential to give our nucleus hives additional space on the day you purchase them or the following day — either by transferring the frames into a larger box or by adding an additional box with frames. If left in the equipment you pick them up in, they will get crowded and swarm within a few weeks. While picking up your nuc, you can shop in our store and pick up any last-minute supplies you need. It's best to have your permanent beehive ready before picking up your bees, so be sure to shop early for at least these 5 beekeeping supplies you need. Detailed Description Our Alabama Nucleus Hives are ideal for kickstarting a new honeybee apiary. We do not have package bees for sale. Read about comparing package bees and nucleus hives on our blog, or watch our video on what a package of bees is. The 8-frame hives come with overwintered queens, a painted pine bottom board, deep frames, and a durable migratory cover, providing a thriving hive from the start. The 5-frame nucs, which also feature Italian genetics, are housed in a pro-nuc plastic hive for easy transport. Each hive is available for Saturday morning pickup in Irondale, Alabama, and comes with full support and resources to ensure a successful colony. Designed for beekeepers of all experience levels, our nucleus hives offer a head start on developing productive colonies, giving your bees the best chance to thrive through their first winter. Early-season pickup is recommended for strong honey production in the first year, especially for overwintered hives available in February and March. Additional Info Pickup Only: Available in Irondale, Alabama, on select Saturdays. We do not ship nucleus hives with bees. Cancellation Policy: Due to the live nature of the product, refunds are unavailable within 30 days of the scheduled pickup date. After Pickup Issues: Notify us within 7 days for any issues. Cancellation and Refunds: Nucleus hives are live animals, and because of this, they cannot be returned to us for a refund. We do our best to supply excellent bees and queens in our nucs, but if there are any issues with them, we need to be notified within 7 days of the bees being picked up. The full purchase price for the bees is non-refundable if a refund is requested within 30 days of the pickup window. We understand this isn't ideal, but because these are live animals and there's a lot of work and equipment that goes into preparing the bees early, this is our policy to make sure bees are taken care of. Nucs will be considered abandoned (without refund) if not picked up on the scheduled day without notifying staff in advance, and nucs are also considered abandoned (without refund) if staff attempts to contact the customer and the customer cannot make the pickup within 7 days of the original scheduled date. Watch our video to learn about the major and minor differences between nucleus hives and packages.