Collecting and settling the bees in the new hive.

Starting your first hive is an exciting milestone, and one of the biggest steps is securing your very first colony of honey bees. If you live in a region where it's legal and safe to do so, colonies can also be shipped via courier, securely packaged in a specially designed ventilated box. Most new beekeepers get their bees either as a package, a nucleus (nuc) colony, or a full hive from a local or regional supplier. Whichever method you choose, the key is to begin with bees that are healthy, calm, and raised by someone who knows what they’re doing.

Once received, you'll need to gently introduce the queen and worker bees into your hive and feed them sugar syrup or honey water. With proper handling, bees settle in and begin their work almost immediately.

Finding and Choosing a Trustworthy Supplier

A good supplier is more than someone who sells bees—it’s someone who understands bees. Before placing your order, talk to local beekeeping clubs or associations; experienced beekeepers will quickly point you toward reputable breeders and warn you about unreliable ones. Trusted suppliers usually:

• Have several years of breeding or commercial beekeeping experience

• Offer queens with known genetics (gentleness, productivity, disease resistance)

• Are open about how they control pests and disease

• Offer support or guidance to new customers

If possible, visit the apiary in person. Clean equipment, healthy-looking bees, and a calm, confident beekeeper are good signs. And remember: a small delay in receiving bees from a careful beekeeper is better than a quick shipment from someone careless.

When Your Bee Package Arrives

The day your bees arrive is both thrilling and nerve-wracking. Packages usually come in a ventilated box with several thousand worker bees, a caged queen, and a can of sugar syrup. They may be buzzing loudly—that’s normal. Bring them home promptly and keep the package in a cool, shady place. If the weather is warm, lightly mist the screened sides with water to keep them hydrated.

Before installing them, prepare the hive. Have frames in place, an entrance reducer fitted, and sugar syrup ready for feeding. New bees, like new houseguests, appreciate a little hospitality.

Settling Bees Into Their New Home

Put on your full bee suit. Ensure that people and pets in the area are protected as well. To install a package, gently remove the queen cage and check that the queen is alive and moving well. Hang her cage between frames so the workers can gradually release her. Then, shake or pour the remaining bees into the hive. Work calmly and slowly; bees respond to your energy.

A nuc installation is even simpler—move each frame into your hive in the same order, keeping the orientation identical.

Once installed, close the hive and give it space. Please resist the urge to open it again for several days. Your bees need time to settle, reorganise themselves, and accept the queen.

Signs Your Colony Is Settling In

Within a week, you should see encouraging signs:

• Workers flying in and out with purpose, not clustering aimlessly

• Gentle fanning at the entrance (a sign they're ventilating and spreading the colony scent)

• The queen was released from her cage

• Fresh eggs, neat brood patterns, and new comb building

• Bees are taking sugar syrup steadily

A calm hive with growing activity usually means success. If in doubt, gently open the hive to make sure the queen is released. If not, you can manually release her by gently clearing the plug. You can then remove the empty queen cage from the hive.

Starting with healthy bees and a trusted supplier sets the tone for your entire beekeeping journey. With patience, curiosity, and gentle handling, your new colony will soon feel right at home—and so will you in your new role as a beekeeper.