Queens & Nucs

Reservations for 2025 nucs are currently full. Please connect if you would like to be on a waiting list for possible 2025 options if someone cancels.

Mated queens and nucleus colonies are seasonal and only available for pickup in Gads Hill, ON. Please contact myself, Jodi, directly at sales@huckleberryhives.ca to set up your queen or nuc order. Pricing is listed below and subject to change year-to-year without notice. 

$55.00 Mated Queen: queen will be marked and in a queen cage with minimum of 4 attendant workers. 

$285.00 4-Frame Nucleus Colony: 4 frames of bees and a mated queen,  following the OBBA (Ontario Bee Breeder's Association) standard for quality.*

Huckleberry Hives began with our first year of ORHBS program testing in 2019. For those who don't know, ORHBS stands for Ontario Resistant Honey Bee Selection and involves testing breeder hives for disease resistance. As I continue with my breeding program I am no longer participating in ORHBS as of the 2023 season. Instead, I am switching to a method of hygienic testing that I can do myself at the best timing in spring before honey flows or in fall before brood is too sparse.  My choice to do my own hygiene testing is based on many reasons and is not a reflection on the value of the ORHBS program, in fact, I'll continue to bring in genetics from other ORHBS breeders as I move forwards.  In addition to hygiene, I breed for gentleness and follow integrated pest management strategies learned from the Ontario Beekeeper's Association Tech-Transfer Program and OMAFRA's beekeeping resources in order to produce healthy bees with the best chances of surviving not only our Canadian winters but also the variety of environment and disease stressors our beehives face. I do not breed for any specific race of bees, rather I focus on selection for phenotypic traits that indicate genetic strengths. 

Mated queens and nucleus colonies are seasonal and only available for pickup in Gads Hill, ON. Please contact myself, Jodi, directly at sales@huckleberryhives.ca to set up your queen or nuc order. Pricing is subject to change year-to-year without notice.  

*The OBBA’s standard for a 4 frame nuc is as follows:

• Queen bee

• 2 frames of brood, ½ to ⅔ capped, with adhering bees

• 1 frame of feed with adhering bees

• 1 frame of foundation/empty comb

• Extra bees to ensure the brood will be kept warm