Live Italian Package Bees: NSW Pickup Only with Optional Beehive

Includes 3 Free Bonus Items

There's nothing quite like the moment you receive your first package of live bees, a buzzing, vibrant colony ready to be installed into a new hive. Our Live Italian Package Bees are the ideal way to start a new hive or expand your apiary, giving you a healthy, ready-to-install colony with a mated queen from robust, gentle, productive stock.

Each package contains approximately 1.2kg (3 lbs) of Italian honey bees plus a mated Italian queen. Every package now includes three free bonus items: diatomaceous earth powder, an entrance reducer, and 2 varroa treatment strips, giving your bees the best chance to thrive in their critical first weeks. Pickup begins late October 2026 at our Granville, NSW location.

Important: NSW Pickup Only

Live bees cannot be shipped due to Australian biosecurity regulations and bee welfare. This product is pickup only at our Granville, NSW showroom, next to Clyde train station. Outside NSW, call 1300 692 766 to discuss alternatives or check QLD availability.

What's in a Package of Bees?

• Approximately 1.2kg of worker bees, typically 10,000 to 12,000 bees
• A mated Italian queen, ready to lay as soon as she's introduced
• Sugar syrup feed and a ventilated wooden travel cage
• Free diatomaceous earth, entrance reducer, and 2 varroa strips

Why the Free Bonus Items Matter

A new colony of 10,000 to 12,000 bees can't yet defend a full entrance or fend off varroa alone. The entrance reducer narrows the opening during establishment, the varroa strips give protection over 6 to 10 weeks, and diatomaceous earth provides ongoing, chemical-free pest control.

Why Italian Bees?

Italian bees (Apis mellifera ligustica) are the most widely kept honey bees in the world, known for a gentle temperament and strong honey production, a forgiving favourite for beginners and experienced beekeepers alike.

Package Bees vs Nucleus Colonies

Package bees arrive as loose workers and a queen with no comb, more affordable and easier to transport. Nucleus colonies include established brood and comb, faster to establish but at a higher cost.

What Do I Need Before Pickup?

A prepared hive with frames and foundation, protective gear, a smoker and hive tool, a bee feeder, sugar syrup, and a sheltered hive location with morning sun and afternoon shade.

Don't Have a Hive Yet?

An OZ ARMOUR single full-depth brood box is available as an optional add-on. Fully assembled and painted white, made from 22mm New Zealand pine, 3mm thicker than standard imports, for better insulation and warping resistance. The interior stays unpainted for faster bee settling.

The box includes a lid and wax-dipped mesh bottom board with beetle trap, letting small hive beetles fall through into a diatomaceous earth tray, and giving simple, disruption-free varroa mite counts. Available in 8-frame or 10-frame, with wax-embedded frames optional at checkout.

Specifications: Package Bees

• Contents: Approx. 1.2kg (3 lbs) of bees + 1 mated Italian queen
• Bee count: Approximately 10,000 to 12,000 worker bees
• Free bonus items: Diatomaceous earth, entrance reducer, 2 varroa strips
• Pickup: Granville, NSW, late October 2026 onwards
• Shipping: Not available, pickup only

Specifications: Optional Brood Box

• Type: Single full-depth brood box, assembled and painted white
• Timber: 22mm New Zealand pine
• Bottom board: Wax-dipped mesh with beetle trap
• Sizes: 8-frame or 10-frame Langstroth
• Lifespan: 15 to 20+ years with basic care

How many bees come in one package?

Approximately 1.2kg (3 lbs), typically 10,000 to 12,000 Italian worker bees, plus one mated Italian queen.

Can package bees be shipped outside NSW?

No, live bees cannot be shipped due to Australian biosecurity regulations. Pickup is only available at the Granville, NSW showroom, though QLD availability can be discussed by phone.

What free bonus items come with each package?

Diatomaceous earth powder, an entrance reducer, and 2 varroa treatment strips, enough for one complete hive treatment.

Why do new colonies need an entrance reducer?

A new colony of 10,000 to 12,000 bees is too small to defend a full-size entrance, so the reducer narrows the opening to a defensible width during establishment.

Why are Italian bees a good choice for beginners?

They're known for a gentle temperament, strong honey production, and excellent adaptability, making them forgiving and a popular first colony choice.

What's the difference between package bees and a nucleus colony?

Package bees arrive as loose workers and a queen with no comb or brood, more affordable and easier to transport, while nucs include established frames of brood and comb.

What do I need ready before picking up my bees?

A prepared hive with frames and foundation, protective gear, a smoker and hive tool, a bee feeder, sugar syrup or fondant, and a sheltered hive location.

Do I need to buy a hive separately?

An OZ ARMOUR single full-depth brood box is available as an optional add-on if you don't already have a hive ready for your bees.

When does pickup begin?

Pickup begins late October 2026 onwards at the Granville, NSW showroom.

How long do the free varroa strips protect the colony?

The 2 included varroa treatment strips provide protection over a 6 to 10 week treatment period.