Product Overview
3 lb. Package Bees For Sale with Italian Hybrid (Gentle Breed) Queen
"Please note: these package bees will be available for pick up in early April 2025 only"
Package bees need to be transported to your bee hive location in a cool, protected area with plenty of ventilation and out of the sun. If your package(s) are in a tightly enclosed location without sufficient air flow, they will get seriously overheated, which can kill the bees or ruin your queens laying abililty.
Wondering where to buy strong, healthy package honey bees? Look no further than Lappe's Bee Supply and Honey Farm LLC. We are now accepting orders for our highly sought-after 3-pound packages of bees, complete with Italian Hybrid queens. These packages will be available for pick-up in Spring 2025, but don't wait too long as they tend to sell out quickly! The best part? (Besides being the best package bees you can buy!) The price you see is the price you pay. There are no hidden fees, and sales tax is included in the package price. Our packages contain all the essential honey bees you'll need, including nurse bees, foragers, guards, drones, and, of course, a young Italian Hybrid queen in a hanging queen cage. Everything you need to start a thriving hive!
If you are ordering other beekeeping equipment that you would like to pick up at the same time as your package(s), please feel free to place on the same order; however, if you would like to order other equipment and have it shipped to you ahead of time, please place on a separate order from your package(s).
Package Honey Bees Terms & Conditions
We have handy instructions here on how to install your package honey bees into your bee hive.
Italian Honey Bees Information
Italian VSH Hybrid honey bees are highly recommended for beginner beekeepers due to their gentle nature and exceptional pollination skills. These bees are known as the best all-purpose bees, with queens that lay plenty of eggs and build up the population early in the spring. This results in a strong workforce throughout the summer, ensuring abundant honey production during the honey flow season. Italian bees also exhibit good mite resistance; however, you still need to treat every spring and every fall for mites, since there is no such thing as a completely mite resistant honeybee.
Italian bees adapt well to various climates and overwinter well, making them suitable for beekeepers in most regions. Starting your beekeeping journey with Italian Hybrid bees sets you on the right path. Not only are they low propolis producers, keeping the hive clean and vibrant, but they also have an abundance of worker bees. Their ability to maintain a large workforce makes it important for the beekeeper to manage hive space to avoid swarming. Keep an eye on the deep brood boxes and add honey supers when needed. Each hive can issue several swarms, so proper space management is crucial.
To optimize your Italian Hybrid bees' honey production, we recommend feeding them sugar syrup immediately after installation in the hive. This will stimulate beeswax production and encourage the queen to start laying eggs quickly, leading to a thriving colony.
Our mission at Lappe's Bee Supply is to ensure your success as a beekeeper. We are dedicated to providing you with the best bees and high-quality beekeeping supplies available in the industry. Whether you're in search of packaged honeybees, queen honeybees, or any other beekeeping equipment, our team is here to serve you. Don't miss out on the opportunity to secure your 3-pound package of Italian Hybrid honey bees. Start your beekeeping journey today and be a part of the vital process of pollination in your area!
Italian Honey Bees: A Detailed Analysis
Italian Honey Bees, scientifically known as Apis mellifera ligustica, are among the most popular and widely distributed subspecies of honey bees in the world. Their adaptability to various climates, prolific nature, and gentle temperament make them a favorite among beekeepers, particularly beginners.
What Are Italian Bees?
Italian honey bees are a subspecies of the western honey bee. They are believed to have originated from the continental part of Italy, south of the Alps, and north of Sicily. The subspecies may have survived the last Ice Age in Italy. Italian bees were brought to several countries, including the United States, Australia, Finland, and New Zealand, for honey production and pollination purposes.
Italian bees are known for their light color, often characterized by alternating stripes on their abdomen. Their bodies are smaller, and their overhairs are shorter than those of the darker honey bee races. They're often referred to as Ligurian bees due to their Italian origins.
Italian Honey Bees Characteristics
Italian Honey Bees are known for their:
- Prolific Breeding: Italian queens begin very early in increasing their brood production. This rapid population build-up is advantageous for early flowerings and honey production.
- Gentleness: Italian bees are known to be gentle and easy to work with, making them a popular choice for new beekeepers.
- Excellent Foragers: They are strong foragers, which helps in gathering ample amounts of nectar and pollen for honey production.
- Good Housekeepers: Italian bees are efficient housekeepers. They do a great job keeping their hive clean.
- Disease Resistance: Though not completely immune, Italian bees have shown resistance to certain diseases, making them a hearty choice for beekeeping.
Like any species, Italian bees also have a few weaknesses:
- Swarming Tendency: Italian bees tend to swarm during their second year within the hive. This usually happens during the spring season and into summer.
- Weak Orientation: Italian bees have a weak sense of direction, leading to drifting from one colony to another, and frequent robbing, which can contribute to the spread of diseases between hives.
- High Consumption of Stores: Italian bees have a high consumption rate of stored food, especially in late winter or early spring, which can cause spring dwindling.
Italian Honey Bees and their Contribution to Biodiversity
Italian Honey Bees play a significant role in maintaining biodiversity. They are excellent pollinators, contributing to the propagation of various plant species. Their efficient foraging behavior enhances the pollination process, leading to increased crop yield and maintaining the health of ecosystems.
The Market for Italian Honey Bees
Italian Honey Bees are in high demand in the beekeeping market, particularly for package bees and package bees for sale. Their gentle nature and exceptional pollination skills make them highly recommended for beginner beekeepers. Italian VSH Hybrid honey bees, a variant of Italian bees, are particularly noteworthy. These bees are known for their mite resistance, although beekeepers still need to treat every spring and every fall for mites.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced beekeeper, Italian Honey Bees make an excellent choice. Their gentle nature, exceptional pollination skills, and adaptability to various climates make them a reliable choice for beekeeping. Therefore, if you are considering purchasing package bees for sale, Italian bees are a great option to consider.
We sell packaged honeybees to customers all around the Midwest United States, including listings in North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio. We bring our packages here in a custom designed, climate controlled truck that keeps the bees at just the right temperature with the right amount of fresh air, which guarantees that your bees will be the healthiest bees possible! We have over 25 years of experience in package bees and queen breeding. If you are looking for live bee hives, you can't beat our packaged bees!
