A Calm Colony. Confident start.
Whether it’s your first hive or your fiftieth, you want bees you can trust. Healthy stock. Gentle temperament. Proper support. We get it.
- Calm, healthy bees
- A proven laying queen
- Unlimited support!
Free UK delivery, in an insulated nucleus with integrated feeder (all worth over £75). See what’s included below.
A nucleus colony (or “nuc”) is the easiest way to start beekeeping. You get a small, established colony with a laying queen, worker bees, and brood in various stages. It’s a head start, giving you the best chance of success in your first season.
Our Starter Colonies
A starter nucleus colony (or “nuc”) is the easiest way to start beekeeping.
NATIONAL
Summer
Delivered May to July
Freshly raised colonies. Perfect for first-time beekeepers learning the ropes during the active season. Frames fit standard National hives.
Overwintered
Delivered March to June.
Proven colonies that have already survived a winter. These sell out fast. Strong, established, and ready to build up quickly. Frames fit standard National hives.
LANGSTROTH
Summer
Delivered May to July
Freshly raised colonies. Ideal for beginners with Langstroth or Flow Hive setups. Frames fit Langstroth-style equipment.
Overwintered
Delivered March to June.
Proven colonies that have already survived a winter. Strong, established, and ready to build up quickly. Frames fit Langstroth or Flow Hive equipment.
Which Starter Colony Is Right for You?
Not sure where to start? Here’s the quick version:
First-time beekeeper?
Start with a Summer Nuc. They’re easier to manage during the active season when you’re learning the ropes.
Want a head start on spring?
Go for an Overwintered Nuc. These colonies have already survived a winter, so they’re strong and ready to build up quickly.
Using a National hive?
Choose a National nuc. The frames will fit straight into your brood box.
Using a Langstroth or Flow Hive?
Choose a Langstroth nuc. Same logic, frames that fit your equipment.
Why choose our starter colonies?
A good nuc needs to arrive safely and give you enough time to settle it into its new home. Here’s what you get with ours.
Delivery Included
We don’t add a delivery cost at checkout. All our nucs come with delivery included so there are no nasty surprises.
Five frames with room to breathe
Your colony arrives on five frames inside a ventilated six-frame Paynes poly nuc box. The spare frame position creates a buffer around the colony. This improves airflow during delivery and reduces the risk of overheating. It also gives the bees more room if you can’t hive them straight away.
The box is yours to keep
Your nuc arrives in a £75 Paynes poly nuc box, and it’s yours to keep. No deposit and no returns. You can use it later for catching swarms, making splits and even includes an integrated feeder.
Temperament guarantee
Every colony we sell has Laurence’s personal approval for calm behaviour. If your bees turn out to be defensive, get in touch. We’ll work with you to put it right.
Ongoing support
We don’t disappear after the sale. You get access to our guides, live streams, and direct support whenever you need it.
DASH Accredited
We hold full DASH (Disease Assurance Scheme for Honey Bees) accreditation. This means our apiaries meet strict disease management standards, verified by the National Bee Unit.
Pure Buckfast Genetics
All our nucs come with queens bred from Pure Buckfast breeder lines. Our nuc producer, Richard Stevens, has over 30 years’ breeding experience. Combined with his father’s expertise, that’s 75 years of family knowledge, all focused on selecting for calm temperament, disease resistance, and honey production.
As Featured In
Black Mountain Honey has been featured in:
What to expect
Many of our customers start with one nuc and come back year after year. One customer ordered one nuc, then 10 nucs, then came back and ordered 65 nucs. She said it was a bargain with the amount of honey they produce! That’s the kind of relationship we’re building here.
Availability
Overwintered nucs: Available March to May. These sell out fast, often by January.
Summer nucs: Available May to July.
Order early to guarantee your spot as demand is high and stock is limited.
Delivery
Free UK delivery via Royal Mail Special Delivery. You’ll get a tracking code the day before, and a 1-hour delivery window on the morning. Someone needs to be home to sign. Collection is also available from our Welsh apiaries on Saturdays in April and May.
Live Arrival Guarantee
If your colony arrives dead, we replace it free. The poly nuc boxes are designed for transit, and bees are resilient. They arrive in excellent condition.
Helpful guides
-
Getting started in Beekeeping
Thinking about keeping bees? This guide covers everything you need to know before your first hive arrives, from choosing equipment to buying your first colony. -
When to Do Your First Inspection
You’ve overwintered your bees. The weather’s warming up. You’re itching to get inside that hive. But when should you actually do your first inspection of the year, and what should you be checking for? -
How to look after your bees through the year
The ten seasonal jobs that keep your colony healthy, calm and productive, from spring build-up and swarm control to varroa, autumn prep and winter. -
What To Feed Your Bees
A simple seasonal plan for feeding your colony. What to give them, when to give it, and the mistakes that catch most beekeepers out.
