Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => Swarms, Cut Outs, Trap Outs and Bee Trees => Topic started by: Jen on March 03, 2017, 03:29:53 pm
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Swarm season just around the corner here in northern sunny California. Had a friend ask if they could buy a swarm from me. How much do I charge for a swarm, and how do I get a swarm ready for a buyer?
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I have sold swarms before for $100.00 each in a cardboard box.
How much does a 3lb package and queen sell for?
Just think this is a proven queen that they most likely will not supersede.
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If I do not need another hive I will put a swarm in a 5 frame nuc box, make sure they are up and running and then sell it as a nuc. I do tell them it was established from a swarm, and that I treated it for mites. I get 140.00. If it was a swarm in a cardboard box, and I knew they had a queen I think the price G3 mentioned is good!
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G3- "How much does a 3lb package and queen sell for?"
Um, I have no idea... give me a clue ;)
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Jen, that depends on local prices google and find your local prices. I've seen as low as 115 for 3lb
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Swarm's up here would be around $150, depending on size. They are sought after because you get more bees than with a nuc, and they are in comb-building overdrive mode.
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The sec of my local BKA has a list of beeks who want a swarm. These can be newbies or members who have lost winter colonies.
If I get a swarm which I don't want then I contact the sec. These are usually collected by the beek in a few days. I usually charge for the equipment that goes with the swarm and a bit on top for me for collecting and looking after the swarm.
Reading the earlier posts, I am well off the bottom of the scale. Must think again.
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Just think this is a proven queen that they most likely will not supersede.
Or if you live in a heavy pollination area it is a non-local well travelled queen that has had heavy chemical exposure and will most like fail earlier in life or be quickly replaced.
Unless I know the source of the swarm, it gets requeened.
Get the most you can for a swarm but be straight with the people about what you know and don't know about them.
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G3- "How much does a 3lb package and queen sell for?"
Um, I have no idea... give me a clue ;)
In SC this year they were $96 coming out of South Ga.
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Just think this is a proven queen that they most likely will not supersede.
This is the opposite of what I had read. The primary swarm is the old queen and I thought supercedure rate was fairly high quickly. At least early in the next season.
Also after swarms would have virgin queens.
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Scott - "If I do not need another hive I will put a swarm in a 5 frame nuc box, make sure they are up and running and then sell it as a nuc. I do tell them it was established from a swarm, and that I treated it for mites. I get 140.00. If it was a swarm in a cardboard box, and I knew they had a queen I think the price G3 mentioned is good!"
So Scott, when you say 'And that I treated it for mites', is that one treatment for the full treatment of 4?
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Jen,
I am not Scott, but I should think that one OAV treatment on a swarm would be enough. They will not have any capped brood or comb for the mites to hide in.
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Some Day, that makes sense, the mites that would be affected by the OA would be on the bee bodies :yes: