Ignorant beginner

is it possible to start off a hive using just a mated queen, or do you have tobuy a nuc?

You can’t do it with just a queen, she needs foragers and attendants or she will starve and have nowhere to lay eggs. You can do it with a nucleus, a package or a captured swarm.

Thanks for that. having problems finding local suppliers as I have no transport :frowning:

If you tell us where “local” is for you, we might be able to help more. I checked your profile, and you don’t give a location. We have people on this forum in Europe, US, Australia, NZ, Africa, SE Asia etc, so we can’t guess where you are! :blush:

We may also be able to hook you up with a local beekeeper or club, who can advise and support you.

1 Like

Hey Jon - some suppliers will ship you a package of bees, again, depending on your location. Maybe ask around at a garden or farm supply center if there’s one near you?

Thank you!!

Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36

Aah sorry, I joined quickly tonight. I’m in County Durham, North East England

Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/ghei36

Well, there are plenty of UK beekeepers on this Forum, but I am not sure about County Durham. This is not the time of year to be setting up a hive in the UK anyway, but you could certainly join a local club and get some info. If they like you, you may get to go on a swarm hunt next Spring with an experienced beekeeper, and may even get free bees with transport included - all depends on the characters involved. :wink: Either way, you could learn a lot, and see whether beekeeping is practical for you.