2010 Bee packages in Colorado?

[luigee]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum. Will be starting 2 hives this spring (newbie) and was wondering if there are any good sources of bee packages for 2010 in colorado?

I have been told that Bee Weaver and Noble Apiaries are great sources with great stock. I will probably buy from them if needed, but want to try local sources first if at all possible.

thanks

[alpha6]

There are a couple of beekeepers on the Western Slope that sell NUCS in the spring. Not sure why you would want to buy package bees when you could get a couple of nucs and be about a month ahead then installing a package.

[luigee]

alpha6,

Thanks for the response. You make a good point. I didn't even think about getting a NUC. However, I'll be using Top-Bar Hives. Do any of these Beekeepers sell nucs for the TBH?

Can you recommend anyone beekeeper(s) in particular in the western slope?

[Skinner Apiaries]

It'll be hard to beat weaver's buckfasts.

[mythomane]

You can sure beat their prices, though. They want $125+ for a 3# package. And that is if you pick them up.

[Skinner Apiaries]

Yea. But when someomes getting two hives its better to have good queens that are a little more hardy, than tom dick and harry's walkaway splits. And if we're talkin economies of scale we'd be talking about 500 hives not 2 pkgs... I know most bee co sell pkgs pretty early, if he looks local it'll probably cost less to find an old fella willing to get him started with regular hives... When I started out I talked to an old guy on a regular basis and bought 20 doubles for 150 per.

[Hambone]

It would probably be cheaper if you had a place to pick up a local package and order a Weaver Queen. Some places will sell queenless packages too.

[luigee]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and advice. I have some thinking to do...

thanks again

[Gene Weitzel]

Queenless packages don't travel too well without additional cooling (they generate a lot of heat). I think it would be much less problematic for a newbie wanting 2 packages to order packages with a queen, install them and then re-queen them a little later if desired.

[mythomane]

Being in Durango you might want something cold-hardy, like NWC or the like. We are nothing but hot down here in Tx.