🚫 Avoid Bee Scams – Know Your Beekeeper
Not all bees are created equal—and not all bee sellers are trustworthy.
If you’re just starting out, it’s important to buy bees from a local, reputable source. Here’s why:
- 🧬 Local bees are adapted to your climate and environment
- 🐝 They carry local genetics that help them survive in your region
- 🛑 Bees shipped in from out of state can carry parasites, disease, or poor genetics
- 😟 Some online sellers don’t even send live bees—or they ship sick, stressed colonies that fail quickly
Know your beekeeper. Know where your bees are from.
Buy local, and support healthy, sustainable beekeeping in your own community.🐝 Bee Buyer’s Checklist
Buy Smart. Buy Local. Buy Healthy.
Before you buy bees, use this checklist to make sure you’re starting your beekeeping journey with strong, healthy, local colonies.
✅ Know Your Source
- ☐ I know the name of the beekeeper I’m buying from
- ☐ I know where the bees are raised (city/region)
- ☐ I’ve visited or spoken with the seller in person or by phone
- ☐ I trust this person to answer questions after the sale
✅ Choose Local Bees
- ☐ The bees were born and raised in my region
- ☐ They are accustomed to the local climate and environment
- ☐ They were not shipped in from another state or region
✅ Inspect the Colony (If Possible)
- ☐ The queen is present and laying
- ☐ There is brood in all stages (eggs, larvae, capped)
- ☐ Bees are active, calm, and healthy
- ☐ Frames include honey and pollen stores
- ☐ No visible signs of mites, beetles, or disease
🚫 Red Flags
- ☐ Seller can’t tell you where the bees came from
- ☐ The colony was shipped long distances recently
- ☐ Bees are aggressive, listless, or clustered oddly
- ☐ No brood or queen present
- ☐ Equipment or nuc box appears neglected or dirty
- ☐ Deal seems too cheap or too rushed
🌼 Tip: Healthy bees = happy hives = better honey.
Buying local supports your community and helps protect the future of wild and managed bees.