We raise queens and nucleus colonies from our strongest overwintered stock here in Philadelphia. Since 2007, we have never treated our colonies with antibiotics, and we believe that the long-term solution to varroa mites and disease pressure is genetic resistance, not chemical dependency. Our queen-rearing program focuses on selecting breeder colonies that demonstrate natural hardiness, productive foraging behavior, and the ability to manage mite loads without treatment.
Every spring, we evaluate our colonies coming out of winter. The hives that consistently overwinter successfully, build up quickly on our local forage, and show low mite counts become our breeder stock. These are the colonies that have proven themselves in our climate, on our flowers, through our winters. When you purchase a queen or nuc from Instar Apiaries, you're getting genetics that are already adapted to the challenges of keeping bees in the mid-Atlantic region.
Our Queen-Rearing Philosophy
We don't chase the latest trends in bee breeding. We chase what works. Our approach is simple: take daughters from colonies that thrive without intervention, and let natural selection do what it does best. We started this program because we were tired of losing colonies every year and tired of treating for problems that should be solvable through better genetics.
The queens we raise come from colonies that meet specific criteria. They must have overwintered successfully in Philadelphia at least once, preferably twice. They need to show good population growth in early spring when dandelions and fruit trees are blooming. They should have calm temperament on the comb when we inspect them. Most importantly, they need to keep varroa mite levels manageable without miticides. We monitor mite loads through alcohol washes, and any colony that shows high counts gets removed from our breeding program, no exceptions.
We also bring in queens from other treatment-free breeders who are working on mite resistance through different approaches. This gives us genetic diversity and allows us to see which traits perform best in our local conditions. Some of these introduced genetics work well here, others don't. The ones that do become part of our permanent breeder pool.
Why Local Adaptation Matters
Philadelphia beekeeping has its own rhythm. Our main nectar flow starts with spring tree blooms, then shifts to black locust if you're lucky enough to have it nearby, followed by a summer dearth that can be brutal if you don't have urban gardens or parks in your flight path. We get Japanese knotweed in late summer, which makes dark honey that some people love and others won't touch. Our winters are unpredictable—some years mild and wet, other years we get hammered with cold snaps that last for weeks.
Bees that are adapted to southern climates often struggle here. They might build up too early and starve before the real forage arrives. They might not cluster tightly enough during our cold periods. Queens from northern climates sometimes don't lay aggressively enough during our rapid spring buildup. Local genetics matter because local bees already know how to navigate these patterns. They're on the same schedule as the flowers around them.
When you start with locally adapted stock, you're giving yourself better odds. Your colony will be working with its environment instead of fighting against it.
What Is a Nucleus Colony?
A nucleus colony, or nuc, is a small, functioning honey bee colony. Our nucs are typically five frames: three to four frames of brood in various stages, one to two frames of honey and pollen, and a young, mated queen that's already laying. The population includes nurse bees, foragers, and everything in between. Essentially, it's a full colony just scaled down to fit in a smaller box.
Beekeepers buy nucs for several reasons. If you're starting out, a nuc is a better option than a package because you're getting established comb, brood that's already developing, and a queen that's proven she can lay. The colony can focus on growth instead of having to draw out all the foundation first. If you lost a hive over winter, a nuc is a quick way to get back up to your desired colony count. Experienced beepers use nucs to make splits, to requeen a struggling hive, or simply to expand their apiary.
Our nucs come in standard deep frames that fit Langstroth equipment. They're ready to transfer into your own equipment as soon as you get them home.
Seasonal Availability
Queen production and nuc buildup follows the biology of the bees, which means availability is seasonal. We typically have queens and nucs available in late spring and early summer when our colonies are at their strongest and when conditions are right for mating flights. By late summer, we stop selling nucs because new colonies need time to build up stores before winter, and we won't sell you something that's going to struggle.
If you're interested in purchasing queens or nucs from us, the best approach is to contact us early in the season. We usually have a waiting list, and we fill orders in the sequence they come in. We don't ship queens or nucs—pickup only—because we want to hand them off personally and make sure you know what you're getting.
What You Should Know Before You Buy
Our queens and nucs are treatment-free stock, which means they require a different management approach than conventional bees. You need to be comfortable monitoring mite levels yourself. You need to be willing to let weak colonies fail instead of propping them up with treatments. This isn't for everyone, and that's fine. But if you're committed to keeping bees in a way that builds long-term resilience instead of short-term production, our genetics will serve you well.
We're happy to talk through management strategies and answer questions about what's worked for us over the years. We've made plenty of mistakes, and we've learned from most of them. That knowledge comes with the bees when you buy from a local source.