Bramble Farm Bees offers mated Buckfast queen bees and nucleus colonies for sale each season from our apiaries in Detling, Kent. We produce a limited number each year — availability is typically from May to June, with most colonies collected by mid-June. We recommend reserving early to avoid disappointment.
Mated Buckfast Queen Bees — £30
Our mated Buckfast queens are reared from quality Buckfast stock, selected for temperament, productivity and hygienic behaviour. Each queen is fully mated and laying before sale.
- Fully mated and laying at point of sale
- Buckfast strain — calm, productive, good hygienic behaviour
- Available May to June each season
- Collection only from Scragged Oak Road, Detling, ME14 3HL
- Price: £30 each
Join the 2027 queen waitlist →
Nucleus Colonies (Nucs) — £275
We offer nucleus colonies on BS National frames, headed by a Buckfast queen. We have both summer nucs and overwintered nucs available depending on the time of season. Each nuc is inspected before collection and includes bees in all stages of brood, stores of honey and pollen, and a healthy, laying queen.
Nucleus colonies establish quickly and build into full productive colonies within a season. Ideal for new beekeepers setting up their first hive, or experienced beekeepers looking to expand their apiary.
- BS National frames, Buckfast queen
- Brood in all stages, honey and pollen stores
- Inspected and disease-free before collection
- Collection only from Scragged Oak Road, Detling, ME14 3HL
- Price: £275 per nucleus colony
- Deposit to reserve: £80 (deducted from balance on collection)
How to Order
Demand for our nucleus colonies regularly exceeds supply. We strongly recommend placing a deposit order early in the season to secure your colony. Once your colony is ready, we will contact you to arrange a collection date.
Queens are offered to our waitlist first. Join the 2027 queen waitlist and we will contact you in turn when they are ready.
Any questions? Get in touch →
Collection
All bees are collected in person from our farm at Scragged Oak Road, Detling, ME14 3HL, near Maidstone in Kent. We do not post live bees. Nucleus colonies are supplied in a polynuc box, ready to travel — you just need to bring a suitable strap to secure the box for transit.
About Our Bees
We have kept bees in the North Kent Downs since 2022, maintaining colonies across six apiaries in some of Kent’s most biodiverse landscapes — chalk downland, ancient woodland and traditional orchards. We are committed to sustainable, treatment-aware beekeeping and use integrated pest management for varroa control. Learn more about us →