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We do not charge a cage fee so the price you see is the end price that you get charged! Please note: we cannot mark the queens that come in the packages! If you are ordering other equipment and you would like to pick it up along with your packages, you may do so on the same order; however, if you would like to order other equipment and have it shipped to you, please place separate orders.
Little Hope Hives is now taking orders to reserve 3-pound packages of Italian Honey Bees that will be available for sent out beginning mid to late April. Please be sure to place your, 3lb Package of Italian Honey Bee, order ahead of time in so you get the Honey Bees that you need; we will be selling a large number of packages, but we will not have any additional packages available on our pick-up days.
The 3lb Package of Italian Honey Bees comes with a caged, unmarked, young mated Queen. Your package will include a mixture of nurse bees, forager bees, guard bees, and drones. The queen bee will be in a queen cage hanging within the package of bees.
Please note: Keep package bees in a cool, protected area with plenty of ventilation and out of the sun during the transport to your beehive location. Keeping honey bees in a tightly enclosed location without sufficient airflow can seriously overheat them, which will result in a lot of dead bees, or ruin a queen's laying ability!
If you are looking for which type of bee that you should get for beginning beekeeping, Italian Honey Bees are the most recommended because they are very gentle, easy to work with and are considered the best all-purpose bees. They build up their population early in the spring, and they are able to maintain high populations all summer because the queen lays a lot of eggs. This strong workforce will result in excellent honey production. Italian bees easily adapt to most climates, they overwinter well and they have good resistance to Varroa mites. They produce minimum propolis and keep a clean hive.
Shipping only:
Package bees shipped within postal zones 1-4 are guaranteed to not have more than 11⁄2” of dead bees (when spread evenly across the bottom of the package) upon delivery to your local post office. Anything shipped past postal zone 4 is solely at the risk of the customer.
You agree that you will not refuse shipment or attempt to recover the cost of your order if it arrives in poor condition. If a shipment is refused, we will NOT replace dead or damaged package bees or queens. If a shipment arrives with all or nearly all, of the bees dead or the packaged is damaged (with more than 11⁄2” of dead bees spread evenly across the bottom), then you agree
We require photos of both the damaged package and the shipping label. Replacement of package bees and queens are at the discretion of Little Hope Hives . If we replace there will be no charge for the replacement; however, there will be a shipping and insurance fee.
If the package arrives and your queen is dead on arrival, but there are still live bees in the package, hive the package and place the dead queen in with the bees to hold them. We will ship you a new queen. There is no charge for the replacement; however, there will be a shipping and insurance fee. You agree to keep the dead queen with the bees and hive the surviving bees in the package as soon as possible.
There is a potential risk of injury from activities involved in beekeeping, and while particular rules, equipment and personal are may reduce this risk, the risk of injury does exist; and you knowingly and freely assume all such risks, both known and unknown, even if arising from the negligence of the releasees or others, and assume full responsibility for your participation; and, hereby release and hold harmless Little Hope Hives, their officers, other participants, and if applicable, owners and lessors of the premises (“releasees”) used to conduct any event, with respect to any and all injury, disability, death, or loss or damage to person or property, to the fullest extent of the las, whether arising from the negligence of the releasees or otherwise.
The 3lb Package of Italian Honey Bees are for pick up only from our location in McDonough or Lincolnton Georgia. We do not charge a cage fee, and we do not require a cage exchange. We will give a $1 cage return on plastic bee bus cages only. We do not pay for wooden cages returned.
At The Little Hope Hives we work hard to supply you with the best bees, beekeeping equipment, and supplies, and beekeeping knowledge that we can, to help you out along the path to becoming a successful and happy beekeeper!