Buy and sell locally with Bee-Market – simple, fast, and made for your community.
Buy and sell locally with Bee-Market – simple, fast, and made for your community.
Version: 1.0 • Last updated: 25 September 2025
In the UK, bee health and movements are regulated by the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) and DEFRA. They control notifiable bee diseases (e.g. European/ American Foulbrood) and can impose movement restrictions in affected zones. Moving or selling bees while restrictions apply may be illegal.
Before listing or transporting live bees, sellers must: (1) check for any local movement restrictions; (2) ensure bees are healthy and disease-free; and (3) transport them in a way that prevents suffering or harm (Animal Welfare Act 2006).
Where to check: GOV.UK – Beekeeping advice & regulations · National Bee Unit (NBU) · Bee Diseases & Pests Control Order 2006 · Animal Welfare Act 2006
This page explains Bee Market’s rules for selling live bees, including queen bees, nucleus colonies (nucs), and full colonies. These rules summarise UK law and good practice in simple terms. They are here to protect buyers, sellers, and the bees themselves.
Your responsibility: All sellers must comply with UK law on animal welfare, disease control, and transport. Bee Market provides this policy for guidance, but sellers are legally responsible for their own bees and listings.
Ventilation: Use rigid, chew-resistant containers with secure mesh/vent panels on multiple sides to prevent overheating. Avoid plastic wrapping that blocks airflow. Ensure bees cannot escape.
Feed & hydration: Provide an appropriate feed source (e.g. fondant) inside the container. Do not ship hungry or light colonies.
Temperature & timing: Ship in suitable weather; avoid extremes of heat or cold. Use next-day services only, post early in the week to avoid weekend delays, and aim for evening/early-morning dispatch to reduce heat build-up.
Stability & shock absorption: Prevent frame movement and comb damage. Secure frames (for nucs/colonies), add internal bracing, and use padding to absorb knocks.
Blocking flight entrance: Seal entrances fully during transport. Provide ventilation through mesh/vents, not open entrances.
Clear labelling: Mark parcels “LIVE BEES – HANDLE WITH CARE” and include an upright/orientation arrow and your contact number.
Service choice: Use Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed (or an equivalent next-day service accepted for live insects). Do not use economy services.
Disease compliance: Do not move bees from or through restricted areas. Check NBU alerts and follow APHA instructions before dispatch.
No returns: For biosecurity and welfare reasons, live bees are not returnable. Agree any DOA (dead-on-arrival) remedies in your listing beforedispatch (e.g. partial refund or replacement of queens), and keep records.
Queen bees may be sent by post within the UK if packaged correctly. Accepted method: Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed. Queens must be shipped in a secure cage with a few attendants, ventilation, and feed. Sellers are responsible for safe packaging, correct labelling (“LIVE BEES – HANDLE WITH CARE”), and full welfare compliance.
Nucs are small starter colonies (usually 3–6 frames with a queen, brood, and workers). They are usually collection only, as posting nucs carries risks of overheating, suffocation, and stress. Some commercial sellers claim to post nucs using Special Delivery in ventilated boxes, but this is not recommended.
On Bee Market, nucs should be collected in person wherever possible. If a seller chooses to offer postage, they must use a next-day service with proper ventilation, accept full liability for losses in transit, and confirm that no movement restrictions apply (such as during notifiable disease outbreaks).
Full established colonies (larger hives with many frames) are collection only. These cannot be sent by post or courier. Transport must be in person, following bee welfare standards and any restrictions under the Bee Diseases and Pests Control Orders.
Important: Bee Market may remove listings, suspend selling access, or take enforcement action if these requirements are not met. Bee Market is a marketplace only and does not handle or inspect live bees. Compliance with law and welfare standards is the sole responsibility of the seller. Bee Market accepts no liability for losses, disease spread, or transport failures.
