{"title":"Queen Bees","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"buckfast-mated-queen","title":"Buckfast Mated Queen","description":"\u003cp\u003eBritish reared mated F1 Buckfast queen marked with a blue paint dot on her thorax for 2025. Our queens are supplied in a queen introduction cage with attendants and are not clipped. Apologies but we do not provide this service. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur queens are reared in one of our dedicated woodland mating apiaries in Sussex using mating nucs. We flood the area with drone mother colonies to ensure plentiful supply of drones in the surrounding area and our queens are open mated. We only graft from high quality, pure F0 Buckfast breeding stock from Denmark and Germany. Each season we introduce new breeding stock into our queen rearing operation to ensure the genetic pool of our colonies is varied. We usually graft from between 6 to 8 queen mothers each year. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQueens are kept in the mating nucs until they produce sealed brood. Only at that stage is their laying pattern assessed and if we are happy with it they are then selected for dispatch. We remove the queens from the mating nuc only on the day they are dispatched so the queens arrive to you as fresh as they can be. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAvailability\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQueens should be available from end of May to September but as they home reared by us we are very much dependent on the season each year so please be aware availability may vary. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eQueen\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eintroduction\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease note: You cannot start a colony with a queen only, you need a nucleus or full colony of bees.   Queens can be introduced into a queenless colony or to replace an ageing, failing or aggressive queen. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIntroducing a queen into a colony is never 100% successful, we are not responsible if your queen is not accepted and is killed or goes 'missing' during the introduction stage. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf a queen is found to be dead on arrival, it will only be replaced if we are contacted on the day of delivery. We may require the queen to be returned to us still in her sealed cage or a video or photograph to be emailed to us. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eDelivery\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQueens will be dispatched most likely twice a week by Royal Mail Tracked 24. They will require a signature on arrival so please only order if there is someone present to sign for the delivery. Also of importance is to ensure your address is correct with no details missing as we can not be held responsible for queens delivered to incorrect addresses. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour queen will be delivered on the day after the selected dispatch date and will arrive in a ventilated cardboard box marked ‘ Live Bees’. You will receive an email with tracking details once your queen(s) has been dispatched. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBuckfast characteristics \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOur Buckfast breeder queens produce queens that display all the characteristics that Buckfast queens are renowned for and which makes them a fantastic all rounder queen, both for beginner beekeepers, the more experienced or for commercial use. The queens are calm, great spring development, low swarming tendencies, high honey yields but also display excellent hygienic behaviour. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"R \u0026 R Bee Company","offers":[{"title":"Dispatch 19th Aug for delivery 20th Aug","offer_id":56869543969100,"sku":"bmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dispatch 21st Aug for delivery 22nd Aug","offer_id":56869544001868,"sku":"bmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dispatch 26th Aug for delivery 27th Aug","offer_id":56869543838028,"sku":"bmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dispatch 16th Sept for delivery 17th Sept","offer_id":56869543870796,"sku":"bmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dispatch 23rd Sep for delivery 24th Sept","offer_id":56869543936332,"sku":"bmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0835\/2674\/6444\/files\/Screenshot2024-08-10101817.png?v=1726930873"},{"product_id":"local-bred-mated-queen","title":"Local Mated Queen","description":"\u003cp\u003eBritish reared mated locally adapted queens marked with a white paint dot on her thorax for 2026. Our queens are supplied in a queen introduction cage with attendants and are not clipped. Apologies but we do not provide this service. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur queens are reared in one of our dedicated woodland mating apiaries in Sussex using mating nucs. We flood the area with selected drone mother colonies to ensure plentiful supply of drones in the surrounding area and our queens are open mated. We only graft from the best of our local queens which have been hand picked and ear marked from the previous season’s colonies. One of our breeder queens is going into her 5th year now and her daughters are much favoured by ourselves. It’ll be a sad day when we lose her. In 2024 we tested our locally adapted breeder queens for hygienic behaviour using the pin prick method. All scored over 92% within 24 hours with two scoring 100%. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach season we introduce new breeding stock into our queen rearing operation to ensure the genetic pool of our colonies is varied. We usually graft from between 6 to 8 queen mothers each year. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQueens are kept in the mating nucs until they produce sealed brood. Only at that stage is their laying pattern assessed and if we are happy with it they are then selected for dispatch. We remove the queens from the mating nuc only on the day they are dispatched so the queens arrive to you as fresh as they can be. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAvailability\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eQueens should be available from end of May to September but as they home reared by us we are very much dependent on the season each year so please be aware availability may vary. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eQueen\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eintroduction\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease note: You cannot start a colony with a queen only, you need a nucleus or full colony of bees.   Queens can be introduced into a queenless colony or to replace an ageing, failing or aggressive queen. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIntroducing a queen into a colony is never 100% successful, we are not responsible if your queen is not accepted and is killed or goes 'missing' during the introduction stage. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf a queen is found to be dead on arrival, it will only be replaced if we are contacted on the day of delivery. We may require the queen to be returned to us still in her sealed cage or a video or photograph to be emailed to us. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eDelivery\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQueens will be dispatched most likely twice a week by Royal Mail Tracked 24. They will require a signature on arrival so please only order if there is someone present to sign for the delivery. Also of importance is to ensure your address is correct with no details missing as we can not be held responsible for queens delivered to incorrect addresses. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour queen will be delivered on the day after the selected dispatch date and will arrive in a ventilated cardboard box marked ‘ Live Bees’. You will receive an email with tracking details once your queen(s) has been dispatched\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"R \u0026 R Bee Company","offers":[{"title":"Dispatch 19th Aug for delivery 20th Aug","offer_id":56869485478220,"sku":"lmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dispatch 21st Aug for delivery 22nd Aug","offer_id":56869485510988,"sku":"lmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dispatch 26th Aug for delivery 27th Aug","offer_id":56869485347148,"sku":"lmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dispatch 16th Sept for delivery 17th Sept","offer_id":56869485379916,"sku":"lmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Dispatch 23rd for delivery 24th Sept","offer_id":56869485445452,"sku":"lmqueen","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0835\/2674\/6444\/files\/Screenshot2024-08-10101952.png?v=1726930893"},{"product_id":"virgin-buckfast-queen","title":"Virgin Buckfast Queen (bulk batch of 10)","description":"\u003cp\u003eBuckfast Queens, bred by us on the Sussex South Downs. Bred to be calm and placid, both on the comb and in handling.  Overwinters nicely on a single brood box. Ready to introduce into a queenless colony or to replace an ageing or failing queen.  This is a bulk batch of 10 Virgin queen so will need to go on her mating flight after she has been introduced into your colony. This will mean it will take longer before you start to see eggs, compared to a mated queen, and has more risks involved.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlease select your dispatch day when you order. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease also note:  you cannot start a colony with a Queen only, you need a nucleus or full colony of Bees.    Introducing a Queen into a colony is never 100% successful, we are not responsible if your Queen is not accepted and is killed or goes 'Missing' during the introduction stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"R \u0026 R Bee Company","offers":[{"title":"15th July for delivery 16th July","offer_id":52359072416076,"sku":"vbqueen","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"22nd July for delivery 23rd July","offer_id":52546144698700,"sku":"vbqueen","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"29th July for delivery 20th July","offer_id":49129024029004,"sku":"vbqueen","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"5th Aug for delivery 6th Aug - FINAL BATCH","offer_id":49129023996236,"sku":"vbqueen","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0835\/2674\/6444\/files\/IMG_9669_368a3dac-3e66-4ab1-8d9e-b2123027b57d.jpg?v=1785857256"},{"product_id":"virgin-local-queen","title":"Virgin Local Queen (bulk 10 queens)","description":"\u003cp\u003eBritish Queens, bred by us on the Sussex South Downs. Bred to be calm and placid, both on the comb and in handling.  Overwinters nicely on a single brood box. Ready to introduce into a queenless colony or to replace an ageing or failing queen.  This is a Virgin queen so will need to go on her mating flight after she has been introduced into your colony. This will mean it will take longer before you start to see eggs, compared to a mated queen, and has more risks involved.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Virgin queens are sold in batches of 10 queens, not singular.   For single queens, please order our mated queens.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePlease select your dispatch day when you order. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease also note:  you cannot start a colony with a Queen only, you need a nucleus or full colony of Bees.    Introducing a Queen into a colony is never 100% successful, we are not responsible if your Queen is not accepted and is killed or goes 'Missing' during the introduction stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"R \u0026 R Bee Company","offers":[{"title":"15th July for delivery 16th July","offer_id":52471497261388,"sku":"vlqueen","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"22nd July for delivery 23rd July","offer_id":52359075496268,"sku":"vlqueen","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"29th July for delivery 30th July","offer_id":52359075070284,"sku":"vlqueen","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"5th Aug for delivery 6th Aug - FINAL BATCH","offer_id":49129053749580,"sku":"vlqueen","price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0835\/2674\/6444\/files\/IMG-5944.jpg?v=1778181186"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0835\/2674\/6444\/collections\/Screenshot_2024-08-10_101817.png?v=1726854193","url":"https:\/\/www.rrbeecompany.co.uk\/collections\/queen-bees.oembed","provider":"R \u0026 R Bee Company","version":"1.0","type":"link"}