Where to Buy Bees: Packages, Nucs, Swarms and Splits
Where to find bees in the US, what spring 2027 packages and nucs cost on eight seller pages, which state rules apply and how to vet a seller before you pay.
Elena P.
Elena has a background in biology and about 8 years of beekeeping experience, keeping around 20 colonies in eastern North Dakota. Her interests are honey bee behaviour, colony biology, pollination, reproduction, communication and the relationship between colonies and the landscape around them. She writes on bee biology, queen and worker roles, reproduction, communication, pollination, bee-friendly planting and colony development. She is also one of the fact checkers here: biological claims and scientific explanations are reviewed by her before publication. She belongs to a regional beekeeping association. Her articles here are mostly on bee biology, foraging, queens, pollination and colony establishment, which is where questions about why a colony behaves the way it does tend to land. Most of her own articles are second-reviewed by Michael R., and she is in turn the second reviewer on most of Sofia T.'s honey and equipment articles, where her job is to check the science behind what those articles say about honey quality, beeswax and bee behaviour.
Bee Suit vs Jacket: Which One to Buy and What They Cost
A full suit covers you from head to ankle; a jacket covers the torso, arms and head. Here is how they compare on protection, heat and fit, with same-fabric prices from three US sellers checked on 22 October 2026.
Bee Sting vs Wasp Sting: Which Is Worse and How to Tell
A honey bee sting holds about 59 micrograms of venom protein, a yellowjacket's under 4. How to tell which stung you, which is worse, and what first aid changes.
How to Protect Beehives From Yellow Jackets: Entrances, Traps and Lures
Narrow entrances, strong colonies and a clean apiary do most of the work against yellow jackets. Why sweet baits catch honey bees, and why the common heptyl butyrate lure misses eastern and German yellowjackets.
Varroa Mite Life Cycle: Timeline, Biology and Timing
The varroa mite life cycle alternates between two phases: a reproductive phase inside a sealed honey bee brood cell, and a dispersal phase riding on adult bees. A mated female mite, the foundress, slips into a worker or drone larva’s…
How Much Land Do You Need to Keep Bees on a Homestead
Two hives need about 200 square feet of yard, but each colony needs 2 to 5 acres of nearby bloom. A sourced table shows the land needed for 2, 5, 10 and 25 hives.
Pollination Syndromes: Which Flower Traits Match Which Pollinators
Pollination syndromes pair flower color, shape and scent with bees, hummingbirds, moths, bats and flies. Here is the trait table, plus how often the pattern really predicts the pollinator.
The Barberini Bees: How a Roman Family’s Coat of Arms Ended Up on St. Peter’s Basilica
The three bees on Bernini's baldachin are the Barberini family arms, because Pope Urban VIII was born a Barberini. This guide sources where to spot them in Rome and separates documented facts from myths.
Best Organic Raw Unfiltered Honey Brands, Checked and Priced
Nate's, Local Hive, GloryBee, Y.S. Eco Bee Farms, Fischer's and 365 compared on USDA organic records, origin, heating claims and price per ounce, with a checklist for judging any jar.