There are many things to consider when buying nucs. In addition to choosing the strain of bee and when to purchase it, you need to consider the source of the bees and how the nucs were prepared. You should consider asking the seller the following questions so you know what you are purchasing:
- How many frames are in the nuc (can be anywhere from 3 to 6)? How many frames of brood?
- Are they deep or medium frames? Plastic, wood, a combination, foundationless?
- Are the frames all new and previously unused?
- What kind of nuc box is being used (cardboard, styrofoam, wood)? Is there a deposit? Do I get the deposit back if I return the box?
- How long has the nuc been together as a colony (you should avoid nucs thrown together within a few days of sale)?
- Is this an over-wintered nuc (relates to the above question but also asks whether they made it through the winter together)?
- What variety/strain is the queen? The bees?
- How old is the queen? Is the queen marked?
- Where did the bees come from (are they local or from a similar climate)?
- Have the bees been medicated and/or treated for varroa?
- Has the apiary been inspected by the state apiary inspector?
- How long have you been producing nucs for sale? What is the history of success of your bees/nucs?
- How would you describe the temperament of your bees?
- When will the nuc be ready for pickup? If a package, when will the package be available for pickup or shipping?
- What is the refund/replacement policy for bees that die in shipment? For nucs and queens?
Beekeepers who are purchasing only a queen or a package can use the same list of questions; however, not all of the questions will be relevant. Simply customize the list for your purposes so you can evaluate your purchase with due diligence.
It should be noted that the questions listed above are at a high level to illustrate what you should try to find out. For more detail, a blog post from Canberra Bees goes into more depth and explains the significance of each question. The post can be accessed at the following link: Buying a Nucleus Hive