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Stocking your hive can cost you, or it can be free.

How to buy your bees

THERE ARE a couple of options when it comes to acquiring a bee colony.

Buy some bees

PRICE: from $350, depending on size, season This is the simplest option. Buy a colony online, through a bee club or from a beekeeping friend. Trademe and the Nzbees forum (www.nzbees.net/forums/) are good places to start.

Bees are most often sold as a nucleus colony (known as a nuc, pronounced ‘nuke’). This is generally 4-7 frames of bees with a laying queen inside a lightweight nuc box. You then transfer the frames into your prepared, empty hive.

Sometimes you can buy a basic hive with bees in it. But, it’s heavier and difficult to transport.

It’s important to make sure the seller is a reputable, trustworthy, registered beekeeper. You need a healthy colony, not one struggling with diseased bees. If you’re unsure how to judge the health of a hive, take an experienced beekeeper with you to check for early warning signs of diseases.

Catch a swarm

PRICE: time, energy, travel Catching a swarm isn’t dangerous or difficult, if you’re organised, kitted out, and know what you’re doing. If you’re a beginner and want to catch a swarm, take an experienced beekeeper with you to assist.

There are drawbacks to starting with a swarm. There is no guarantee where the swarm has come from: they may be carrying diseases or have a high varroa mite count.

Treat a swarm for varroa immediately. Check for diseases on a regular basis for the first month or so.

Split a hive

PRICE: time, energy, new hive If you have a beekeeping friend, they can create a colony for you by ‘splitting’ a hive. Three to five frames, complete with eggs, pollen and honey, are removed from a hive box and put into a new box.

You can then either add a queen you have purchased, or let the bees grow their own.

This method means you usually end up with two weaker hives and a lower honey production for the season (if you split in spring) or winter hive losses (if you do it in autumn).

Splitting a hive sounds easy, but there are complexities around timing, and adding a new queen.

If you want to try it for the first time, get guidance from an experienced beekeeper or your local bee club.

It's possible to buy a colony online, or you could try to catch a swarm