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Free Delivery £60+ | Free Gift £70+
Buckfast heritage. Native influence. Bred for Britain.
**PRE-ORDERS open from 1st OCTOBER**
Our Northumberland Buckfast queen bees come from our own established British breeding population, developed through more than 15 years of breeding and selection in Northumberland.
Rather than simply rearing queens in Britain from repeatedly imported breeding stock, we have developed and naturalised our population here — selecting successive generations for temperament, honey production, manageable swarming, hygienic behaviour, overwintering and performance in British conditions.
Our breeding combines established Buckfast heritage with selected British commercial genetics and carefully selected influence from our own locally adapted British Black Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera) breeding programme.
Every queen is bred, reared and mated by us in Northumberland.
For 2027, Northumberland Buckfast queens are limited to 400 queens across four scheduled releases, with just 100 queens available on each date:
Friday 28 May · Friday 25 June · Friday 23 July · Friday 27 August 2027
Once the allocation for a date has sold, that release will close
£59.00
The Northumberland Buckfast is the result of more than 15 years of breeding, testing and selection within our own commercial bee farming operation in Northumberland.
Its ancestry is Buckfast. Its breeding history is distinctly our own.
Successive generations have been bred and evaluated here, progressively developing a naturalised, locally adapted British Buckfast population rather than relying upon the repeated introduction of imported production queens.
Our objective is straightforward: to produce productive, manageable honey bees capable of performing consistently within British commercial and hobby beekeeping conditions.
A queen can be UK reared without the population from which she originates having been developed here.
When we describe the Northumberland Buckfast as naturalised, we mean a breeding population that has been bred, tested and selected through successive generations in Britain, progressively shaped by our climate, forage, management and selection criteria.
It does not mean that the Northumberland Buckfast is a native subspecies.
Its foundation is Buckfast, but its subsequent development has taken place within our own British breeding programme, incorporating carefully selected genetics where we believe they can improve the population.
Buckfast Heritage. Native Influence. Bred for Britain.
One important part of that development has been our work with the British Black Bee, Apis mellifera mellifera (Amm).
We have maintained and evaluated our own locally adapted Amm breeding populations alongside our Buckfast lines. Rather than treating these as completely separate projects, selected genetics have been incorporated where they offer traits valuable to our wider breeding objectives.
A particularly important step was the controlled combination of our II98-derived NH5 Buckfast line with drones from NH99, our locally adapted Northumberland Amm line.
The resulting NHC25 population demonstrated particularly useful characteristics including frugality and performance during difficult weather conditions. Selected descendants were retained within our drone-producing population, allowing that native influence to contribute to subsequent generations of the Northumberland Buckfast.
The Northumberland Buckfast is not a simple Buckfast × Black Bee cross and we do not assign it a fixed percentage of Amm ancestry. It is an evolving breeding population in which genetics are retained, recombined or removed according to the performance of their descendants.
Selected in Working Honey-Producing Colonies
Our breeding programme doesn’t exist separately from our bee farm.
The colonies from which we select have to perform within the same working commercial honey operation on which our own production depends.
We evaluate successive generations for a combination of characteristics including:
• Honey production and colony strength
• Calm, workable temperament
• Manageable swarming tendency
• Overwintering and spring development
• Frugality and efficient use of stores
• Hygienic behaviour and colony health
• Varroa levels and response to our management
• Performance through variable British weather
No single characteristic defines the Northumberland Buckfast. Our aim is a balanced commercial bee capable of performing across all of them.
Quality Over Quantity – Why Only 400 Queens in 2027?
The success of our breeding programme has contributed to an increasingly large population of honey-producing colonies and increasing honey production.
That growth also means considerably more of our season is now required for managing production colonies, evaluating their performance and identifying the genetics we want to carry forward.
For 2027, we have therefore chosen to prioritise quality over quantity.
Instead of producing queens continuously throughout the season, only 400 Northumberland Buckfast mated queens will be offered for general sale, divided between four scheduled releases of 100 queens.
This isn’t a reduction in our commitment to queen breeding. Quite the opposite. It allows us to concentrate more of our time on breeding, testing and developing the Northumberland Buckfast, while offering a smaller number of carefully produced queens from the programme to other beekeepers.
Friday 28 May 2027 — 100 queens
Friday 25 June 2027 — 100 queens
Friday 23 July 2027 — 100 queens
Friday 27 August 2027 — 100 queens
Once the allocation for a release is sold, that date will close. No additional queens will be added to that release.
We don’t select breeder queens simply because a colony looks promising.
Potential breeding colonies are assessed over time and across successive generations, with performance records forming part of our selection decisions.
Our breeding work includes measurement of honey production, swarming behaviour, overwintering, colony strength and stores, alongside hygienic testing and routine Varroa monitoring.
For 2027, our principal queen-mother line is NH28, a daughter-tested line developed from DB24 × NHC100 and selected through our commercial honey-producing colonies.
Our principal NH28 breeder line has recorded 100% removal of pin-pricked brood within 24 hours in our hygienic testing.
Varroa is monitored throughout our commercial apiaries rather than assumed from appearance alone. We regard these measurements as selection information, not as evidence that any queen or colony is Varroa-proof or requires no treatment.
Our breeding population has not developed in isolation.
Over many years we have worked with and sourced selected genetics from experienced British commercial bee farmers and breeders, bringing promising material into our own programme before evaluating its descendants under our conditions in Northumberland.
This gives us access to a much wider pool of commercially tested genetics while still allowing the Northumberland Buckfast to develop as a distinct breeding population of our own.
You will receive a mated Northumberland Buckfast queen, bred and reared by us in Northumberland from the breeding population described on this page.
Queens are supplied marked and have been observed laying before dispatch.
For 2027, our principal queen-mother line is NH28. Customers are purchasing a Northumberland Buckfast queen rather than selecting individual breeder lines themselves. This allows us to use the breeder and drone combinations we consider most appropriate within each production cycle while continuing to select and improve the population.
Detailed information about our breeder lines, pedigrees and selection programme is available through our Queen Breeding Programme.
Ordering Your Northumberland Buckfast Queen
Choose one of the available 2027 release dates when ordering. Each release is limited to a maximum of 100 queens.
Once all 100 queens allocated to a release have been reserved, that date will close and no additional queens will be added.
Queens are dispatched using our designated live-queen delivery service. Please check your delivery details carefully and ensure that your queen can be received and introduced promptly.
| Weight | 0.01 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 10 × 10 × 10 cm |
| Delivery Day | Friday 28th May 2027, Friday 25th June 2027, Friday 23th July 2027, Friday 27th August 2027 |
| Queen Mother | NH 28 |
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Steve P (verified owner) –
I ordered two Buckfast queens Sept 2021. Arrived quickly were extremely well packed and both queen and attendants in excellent condition . queen well marked. both queens accepted into pre-prepared 3 frame nucs and expanded rapidly. excellent bees and service.
thank you. will order again
cjtsearle (verified owner) –
Received my new queen in the best transport box I have ever had! She looks splendid and even the candy plug used is good quality . So impressed you can choose the characteristics you might favour in a queen bee. I think this shows the attention to detail I appreciate. I haven’t seen this elsewhere. I am hopeful she will do well.
kerryballard1 (verified owner) –
Excellent service, bought a queen, really well packaged, arrived in excellent condition, readily accepted and off doing her thing. Excellent choice of traits, great communication, will definitely buy again.
Andy Wood (verified owner) –
I ordered two Buckfast queens in May, they Arrived extremely well packed and both queen were introdused in the last week of May with the attendant still with the Queens. Both queens have been accepted into pre-prepared 3 frame nucs.I had a quick look today both Queens have layed up 3,14 x 12 frames ,excellent looking queens and service.
thank you.I have & ordered 3 more Queens & will be ordering more later in the month
Mark Beattie (verified owner) –
As always, great service and very friendly. I like the boxes they use, shows care for the bees, much better than the cheap jiffy envelopes others use. All Queens introduced without issues. A top class provider.
George Bristow (verified owner) –
I had planned to replace my Buckfast queen at the end of August with an AMM queen and had placed an order with Luke. Unfortunately, my queen died and I needed to bring my order forward a month. The day after I had told Luke of my situation my new AMM queen arrived with her attendants. That was a week ago and the hive have accepted her and now settled down nicely. Many thanks Luke for all your help and advice. George
Mike Lingard (verified owner) –
This has been my first year using NH Buckfast queens and I cannot recommend them highly enough. All my previous queens have been black and the few Buckfast I have purchased from other suppliers have not lasted a moment. I took my first queen through the winter as an experiment to see how she would do, she not only came through healthy and strong but was by far my most successful hive of the year. I have purchased another eight this year and I am looking forward to see how they go. All eight were accepted into the hives with no problem and they are so calm and nice to work. I will keep my black bees for now (mainly NH bloodstock) but the future looks interesting.
Kevin Miles (verified owner) –
My Buckfast queen arrived by 1pm on the expected day looking safe and perky in the vented box. Last year I introduced a new queen to a very defensive hive and they killed her off, so this year I kept her in the cage for 48 hours before opening the tab. I will know in another week how she went.
Christopher Jones (verified owner) –
I’ve bought several queens this year from other suppliers. By comparison, the Northumberland Honey queen arrived in a well protected box rather than a cardboard envelope and with many more attendants. Seven days after opening the tab, I was surprised to see she had already laid a huge amount of eggs. Again something I wasn’t used to seeing. I think all this goes to the quality of breeding and attention to detail at Northumberland Honey. Well done you guys. A very happy customer.
Giles Jeffs (verified owner) –
I purchased an open mated Buckfast Queen in May and wow I wish I had more colonies headed up by your Queen’s genetics. The queen is so brilliant. The best colony I have . Calm and gentle to work with . Consistent laying and balanced brood and stores in an orderly manner. Productive and no swarm impulse . I have four other colonies and they are nothing if not strife , no comparison and a thorn in my side. I am so grateful for having purchased a Buckfast Queen from Northumberland Honey, and I have harvested some honey this week, which is wonderful. For anyone reading and if you are unsure then let me say that I have purchased mated queens from another supplier who basically resells imported cheap queens. Believe me, Luke and Suzie know their onions , well at least they know their bees. I highly recommend the breeding quality and I wouldn’t hesitate in buying mated queens from NHC again – in fact I am about to place another order for some splits I have made in readiness for next Spring.
Mark Beattie (verified owner) –
This was my 3rd order this year fron Northumberland Honey. Have been excellent both in terms of the quality of the Queens as well as the service. A pleasure to deal with a great small company that really care.
daniel.medelete7 (verified owner) –
Spot, on rang before hand to see if there were any mated queen’s in stock, and told that they’ve been 2 added on the day. Purchased before 2 pm and got it delivered the next day. Spot on packed and well looking queen. Bees has accepted her and she’s laying eggs a week after introduction. Spot on, thank you.
Richard Elliott (verified owner) –
My third order, third year of buying queens. As previously a superb service. The latest queen, as with all previous ones arrived in W Sussex on the morning after posting. Q and all attendants perky and well. She’s almost immediately laying and I’m delighted. Thanks Luke and Susie. Hats off to you both for all your success. To have achieved such a thriving enterprise through hard endeavour and preparedness to give it a go leaves me full of admiration. Keep up the great work, cheering you on from W Sussex.
naturalflow (verified owner) –
These queens were the calmest Buckfast we’ve ever had, our family purchased some a couple of years ago and were so impressed that we had no hesitation returning for more. For us great temperament is crucial. They also laid consistently and showed no signs of swarming! They are great foragers, too, even when the weather is cool.
Jonathan Roberts (verified owner) –
My order of two locally bred Buckfasts were received on time without fuss and well packaged. They were noticeably lively and without any extended introduction, they have been accepted and are laying. Having not yet seen them through a laying season, I cannot comment on their overall quality yet, but I have high hopes. Two important aspects that I am pleased about at this early stage are the breeding information provided, which I really appreciate and the low drama. Ordering and introducing queens is tricky enough without added problems. I will be ordering again. Keen to try some of the other availible genetics and compare.
delphinecakpo (verified owner) –
Excellent service! Queens arrived safely and I like the breeding information that they offer .
Karen Gauldie (verified owner) –
3 orders totalling 7 NH100 queens this season.. The transport box ensures they all arrived in good shape. All were readily accepted. All laying within days. Very prolific. I’d forgotten what it was like to have a docile colony! I’ll be ordering more next season. Very happy with them. Thank you
Martin Coulton (verified owner) –
I decided to re-queen a hive during a Sunday inspection, My new queen arrived on the following Tuesday looking very fit and well. Now fully integrated, first class service.
I Marples –
This year I picked up two nucs with Buckfast queens and I had a mated Buckfast queen delivered for a different colony
I’ve left a review elsewhere about the high quality if the nuclear colonies and the nuclear boxes, but I’d like to mention the calmness of the bees produced by these three queens
All three colonies are utterly placid and the quietest, least aggressive I’ve encountered. I can inspect without gloves and a few times without bee suit (knowing the inspection would be swift with little disturbance)
The queens all have solid laying patterns. I can’t comment with accurately on honey yield, because the weather was terrible whenever the nectar flow should’ve taken off this summer… Better luck next year, I hope
In the meantime handling these bees is a pleasure
Roger Darling (verified owner) –
2 Queens arrived as promised, and by arrangement with the postman if he could not find us (big garden) he agreed to leave it in the postbox at the front door.
Both queens looked fine but in 1 cage the attendants all, but 1 attendants, were dead.
Now in 3 frame nucs and starting to lay.
3 year of orders. Will certainly order again.
jeff dulong (verified owner) –
2 healthy queens arrived as planned and communication of delivery details was great. Queens were accepted and laying. Won’t know until next year how they perform though. Very good service overall, as always! Thanks both
ranft737 –
I ordered two Buckfast Queens on a Saturday afternoon. I received confirmation of the order, with shipment confirmation on the Monday for guaranteed delivery Tuesday 9th June. I had a query which Luke answered personally, which I was impressed by. The queens arrived in a transport box and two queen cages inside. Having ordered queens from other suppliers I found this method far more suitable. It is nice to deal with a family business. The additional few pounds cost to receive the service and quality is well worth it. Thank you.
Roger Darling (verified owner) –
Second order this year. Queens arrived in good condition with a number or workers. Were immediately placed in nucs and are developing well.
Will certainly buy again as have always had good queens and service (as long as you get the postman to leave without a signature ,if they can’t find you)
Kevin Miles (verified owner) –
I’ve been buying Northumberland queens for a few years now and they have always been excellent. They are very calm to work with and have barely shown signs of swarming, which is vital in a london garden with close neighbours. I also like the transparency that Northumberland Bees website offers regarding how their queens are bred.
frankandkirsten (verified owner) –
I really wanted a Black Bee to replace my dark Beauty who was seen off by her courtiers after a forced move to a new apiary in a heat wave. So this was a genuine emergency in my single colony with 7 runty tiny EQCs and planned holidays, so I jumped at the available Lady Buckfast. She arrived exactly as advised with her ladies in waiting (the postman was thrilled to be delivering live bees to a town house!). I struggled a little with the cage which was so well packed that it was difficult to get out of the cardboard box. The little feet of the cage made it impossible to slide straight between the frames and I had expected the cage from the video. But no matter, now I have a genuinely re-useable cage, and it sat securely embedded while I went away for two weeks. Delighted that upon my return the first inspection revealed a very tidy newly established brood nest, and a happy docile colony of the surviving old guard. My Lady is pacing herself, but it looks good. I trust they’ll get up to strength within a month, and I am not worried about a second, longer absence in a couple of weeks.
Many thanks for the excellent service, pleasure to deal with. Already sung your praises in the local BK Association.