2026 5-frame Nuc

2026 Nucleus Hives - Order now for pick up in April/May.

Nucleus hives, or Nucs for short, are perfect for beginning beekeepers and for replacing winter losses. Nucs are small colonies of bees that have frames with already drawn-out beeswax, and most importantly, have a newly mated and laying queen bee. Inside the Nuc you can expect 5 drawn frames with brood, pollen, nectar, honey, and bees! NUCs are designed to be taken home on your scheduled pickup day, then transferred into your hive at home. Nucs grow rapidly throughout the spring making them the ideal choice for new and expanding beekeepers. Flying Bee Ranch offers Nucs from our own apiaries and also from our trusted beekeepers at Foothills Honey Company (Molalla, Oregon) and Sowers Apiaries (Canby, Oregon).

Queen source:  We use local queen breeders in Oregon and northern California. We also use Kona Queens in Hawaii to source some of the highest quality, varroa sensitive genetics. In all cases, the queens will be either hybrid Italian or hybrid Carniolan. Both Italian and Carniolan queens are known for being reliable honey producers, quick to build up brood nests in the spring, and have docile manners. Queens are selected by performance traits such as mite resistance and brood laying performance rather than race. Therefore we are unable to guarantee the race of each queen.

Nuc Box:  Each NUC includes 1 transport box with 5 frames filled with honey, pollen, brood, and bees inside. We also include (1) high-protein pollen patty to feed your bees with. Feeding your NUCs is one of the best techniques to raising a successful colony and jump starting spring build up. We recommend purchasing a feeder for your hive to feed your bees sugar water. We have several different feeder options available to choose from. There is no deposit required for the nuc boxes and they do not have to be returned. How to Install your Nuc: NUCs should be transferred into their new hives within 24 hours of your pickup date. It is important to look for your queen and/or identify the eggs inside the frames to ensure your Nucs is queen-right. For new beekeepers, watch our How To Install a Nuc instructional video.

How much do NUCs cost?

• NUCs are $230.00
• A CASH DISCOUNT of $10.00 is available by paying in cash!
  • To receive the cash discount you must either 1) Pay by cash or check in full, in advance, in our Store, or 2) Reserve your Nuc online by paying a non-refundable deposit. The remaining balance of $190.00 for each Nuc is due in cash when you arrive to pick them up.
• If you want to order beekeeping supplies to be picked up before your Nuc pick up day, we request you place a separate order rather than purchasing them with your nuc. We will assume items ordered along with a Nuc will be picked up on your scheduled Nuc pick up date.

Where & When Can I Pick Up My NUC?

• You can pick up your bees at our farm located at: 5180 Lardon Road NE, Salem, Oregon 97305.
• You can pick up bees on your scheduled pickup date from 7:00am - 9:00am. We will send an email confirmation a day or two prior to your pickup day as a reminder.
• NO shipping is available for NUCs.
• Please be prepared to interact in the "bee yard." You are responsible for your own safety. When traveling with bees in your vehicle, please always plan to have your bee suit, gloves, and a way to secure your NUC box so they don't tip over. We recommend purchasing one of our NUC Mesh Bags if you plan to transport your bees inside your vehicle.

We plan to continue drive-thru style NUC pick ups. When you arrive to pickup your Nucs a Flying Bee Ranch staff member will check you in and direct you where you can have your bees loaded. Our beekeepers will load the bees for you; in most cases you don't even need to get out of your vehicle! If needed, you may pull aside to secure your bees once they have been loaded. For any special accommodations, please contact us in advance by emailing info@flyingbeeranch.net

Cancellation Policy

Please call to request a refund. Cancelled orders are subject to a minimum $40.00 cancellation fee. All deposits paid through online orders are non refundable. There are NO refunds on NUC orders after February 20, 2026. All pre-ordered NUCs must be picked up by 9:00am on your scheduled pickup date or they will be considered abandoned. Abandoned NUCs may be sold and no refunds given. Nuc pick up dates are on SUNDAYS; please check your calendar before placing an order.

Disclaimer

Our goal is to make sure you have a positive and successful experience with your new bees! With that said, there are some situations and conditions outside of our control. Flying Bee Ranch does not guarantee the successful establishment of a colony or winter survivability, nor does Flying Bee Ranch assume any responsibility for your bees once the bees leave our farm. Please contact us in advance if you plan to transport your bees more than 1 hour away; Nucs risk overheating and we want to help ensure your bees do not die in transport home. Please note that Nuc pickup days are subject to change. We will contact you in advance should there be a need to change the pick up date for any reason. During the transfer of frames into your hive, please verify that you have a queen. If your colony is queenless or there is anything unsatisfactory to you, we want to know right away. We guarantee that all of our Nucs are queen right at the time of pickup.