New for 2025, Swan's is offering an early-season 5-frame nuc available for pickup before April 20, 2025. This option is perfect for beekeepers looking to get an early start on the pollination and honey-producing season. However, establishing a nuc in Maine in April presents unique challenges, including the risk of chilled brood, limited nutrition, and the need to evaluate Queen performance and overall hive health.
To address these challenges, each early-season nuc will be housed in a self-contained 10-frame hive body equipped with an internal frame feeder, two insulated follower boards, and an insulated "foamy" inner cover. This setup allows the nuc to thrive at the customer's location until weather conditions permit a successful transfer into their own equipment. Customers will pay a $100 deposit at the time of pickup, refundable upon the return of the hive body, insulation, feeder, and covers.
The Queens in these early-season nucs will be the same high quality as those used in our May 5-frame nucs, ensuring strong and healthy hives.
Please note that each nuc is carefully prepared by hand, and as such, all purchases and deposits are non-refundable. At checkout, please provide a current email address or phone number so we can contact you to schedule your pickup.
Note that all nucs are available for pickup only at our store in Albion, Maine.