3# Italian bees w/queen. Pick up date 4/22/23.
What's the pick up date? Read below to find out:
*Picking up from us works best if you live within a 2.5 hour radius of us.
*If you are not able to be flexible with pick up dates and times, due to work or other activities, we suggest you purchase a NUC instead, at which time we can arrange a pickup around YOUR schedule!
*Our bees are our priority and we will do everything and anything we need to do to take the utmost care of our honeybees. We make no exceptions on pick up times and dates. Bees in transport cages are highly perishable and must be picked up on the date announced. We make it real easy - we announce the date right here on the website, no need to call, email, or send any smoke signals....just see the front page of our website where we keep you updated beginning April 1.
2023 Purchase Time: Begins Jan 1 until sold out
2023 Pick up Date: Sat., April 22 (date CAN change!)
2023 Pick up Times: 9 am - 2 pm CT
2023 Pick up Location: 14556 N 1020 E Rd., Fairmount IL 61841
PICK UP ONLY- 3 Pound Package of Italian Bees With Mated Queen (usually last Saturday in April)
Pick up dates can change. This is due to the volatile nature of spring in the Midwest and/or mechanical failures working with livestock. Again, we will keep you informed of any date changes via the front page of the website. If you are not able to be flexible, you may wish to order a nuc instead, in which case we can work around your schedule.
3 lb package of bees with mated queen. PICK UP AT OUR TRAINING CENTER/OFFICE IN FAIRMOUNT IL ON ONE OF THE LAST SATURDAYS IN APRIL. (we are 30 miles east of Champaign-Urbana, 2 and1/2 hours south of Chicago, 1 and 1/2 hours west of Indianapolis). We do not ship bees. Bees must be picked up on the date we announce (we keep you informed via homepage of website), no exceptions, provided date does not change. We don't tell livestock when they are ready, they tell us, which means dates can be tentative and patience coupled with flexibility is needed around these dates.
No cancellations after April 1.
We resell all packages not picked up on the date we give you. Because they are highly perishable, we must get them into a beekeeper's care to install, so we resell any left overs with no refunds.
Our guarantee is that you will receive 3 lbs of honey bees with a live, mated queen. After you leave our location, we can no longer guarantee or control the care of the bees, therefore it is your responsibility to keep them as healthy and happy as we have. We can not guarantee your queen's acceptance by the hive. Absconding, (when all the bees leave), does happen in 5 - 10% of all package bees in the US. We give several suggestions on how to reduce absconding when installing packages in our online classes. Many beekeepers fail their first year from making preventable mistakes so we highly recommend a beekeeping course.
This is how we do it: It is curbside pickup, you get in the line, we place the packages in your car, and off you go. Please don't plan to stop anywhere on the way home (i.e.: don't stop for 2 hours at Cracker Barrel, these babies need to get home and in a hive!). Do not put the bee packages in tubs, boxes, or cover with blankets/sheets. BEES NEED AIR. They need kept at the same temperature you are, so that may mean no trunks or truck beds. If you are going more than 2 hours, or it's extremely hot, consider a spray bottle of 1:1 sugar water that you can spritz the bees with.
David has a beekeeping mentorship program that puts you in touch with David's personal cell phone, email or text. You can call, email or text David when you think something isn't right with your bees. Click here for more information.
Get all your equipment and hives PRIOR to bee pick up day. Have your equipment purchased, set up and ready to go before you bring bees home.
We also highly suggest a beekeeping class or join our mentorship program. Because we depend so much on honeybees in our ecological systems today, and because the bees now deal with issues that were not problems up to 20 years ago, it's important that you know what you're doing, how to inspect hives, deal with pests and diseases, proper feeding, and winter maintenance. Click here to register for our classes.
Pick up will be at our training center located at our office at 14556 N 1020 East Rd., Fairmount IL 61841. Directions: From I-74, take the Oakwood Exit 206. Go south into town, to first stop sign in Catlin. Go straight a few miles south of Oakwood to the next 2-way stop sign (Catlin-Homer Rd). Turn left onto Catlin-Homer Rd., going down two country roads to 1020 East. Turn left, go down another 1/4 mile until you see our sign.
How to Start Beekeeping: https://youtu.be/ryThwgpdkFw
How to install packages of bees: https://youtu.be/IOM4VcjAmkA