The order book is full for 2024.
UPDATE
23/6/2024
Apologies for the late start due to poor weather this year but thankfully I am starting to get queens mated now and hope to get most of the orders posted out over the next 3 – 4 weeks.
I will be in touch to confirm a suitable date for posting.
There are guidelines for queen introduction here
The timetable for posting out queens is here
Check your order date. I will be in touch a few days before posting to confirm that the date is suitable.
There are guidelines for queen introduction here
If your queen is due to be posted out and you have not heard from me after the estimated posting date, please check your spam folder in case my email has gone there. I email customers a few days before queens are due to be posted out to check that the date is suitable. Another issue that occasionally causes problems is when people use an email in their Paypal account which they don’t check. The only email I have for most customers is the one which comes with Paypal
A provisional timetable is now available, weather dependent as always.
There has been considerable speculation around changes in regulations post Brexit, on social media and elsewhere.
The regulations with regard to Northern Ireland are covered by an agreement known as the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The current regulations, as of 22nd January 2021, are as follows:
“The Northern Ireland Protocol sets the principle of unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses to Great Britain. Northern Ireland businesses may export to Great Britain under the same bee health conditions in place prior to the end of the transition period. This means that NI beekeepers may continue to export packages and colonies to the UK. There will be no border checks on consignments despatched from Northern Ireland. “
This is stated on the National Bee Unit website in the document, Guidance notes for Importers (Page 9)
In addition, there are no extra charges for customers
‘
If you move qualifying Northern Ireland goods directly from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK there’ll be no changes and no new customs processes for almost all traders, with some very limited exceptions. For example, goods falling within the very limited number of procedures relating to specific international obligations binding on the UK and the EU – such as obligations on the movement of endangered species.
That means, for almost all traders, when your goods leave Northern Ireland for Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), there’ll be:
You cannot move goods through Northern Ireland to avoid the UK tariff or import processes. You may receive penalties if you move goods through Northern Ireland for an avoidance purpose.
I always use the email supplied in your Paypal account. Make sure to check that one for any correspondence re posting queens and also check your spam folder in case an email has ended up in there. I have had a couple of emails from addresses I don’t recognise from people who have not checked their Paypal email address. The posting times should roughly correspond to the timetable at the top of the order page.
Please check for an estimated posting date for your queen(s)
I will contact you several days before posting to confirm a suitable date – so if you are away on holiday or unavailable I can defer posting by a week or two so that is not a problem
Provisional Schedule for posting queens
I start grafting in May and the first queens are usually available from mid June.The first queens posted out will be those ordered last year, 2022. No need to email asking about updates especially if you ordered recently. Any updates will be posted here.
Posting date
in week starting:
| 12/6/2023 | orders before 15/8/22 |
| 19/6/2023 | orders 16/8/22 up to 17/10/22 |
| 26/6/2023 | orders 18/10/22 up to 31/12/22 |
| 3/7/2023 | orders 1/1/2023 up to 14/2 23 |
| 10/7/2023 | orders 15/2/2023 up to 19/4/2023 |
| 17/7/2023 | orders 20/4/2023 up to 11/5/2023 |
| 24/7/2023 | orders 12/5/2023 up to 22/5/2023 |
| 31/7/2023 | orders 23/5/2023 up to 30/5/2023 |
| 7/8/2023 | orders 31/5/2023 up to 30/6/2023 |
| 14/8/2023 | orders 1/7/2023 up to 15/7/2023 |
| 21/8/2023 | orders 16/7/2023 up to 31/7/2023 |
| 28/8/2023 | |
| 4/9/2023 | |
| 11/9/2023 | |
| 18/9 2023 |
I graft all my own queens in NI and am not reselling from elsewhere so bear in mind that bad weather means that queens take longer to mate. The estimated posting time could change depending on the weather.
I will post out queens in the order your payment came through, so check your likely posting date above after checking the date you ordered with Paypal.
I will be in touch a few days before your posting date to confirm that it is suitable, so no need to email before then.
If you are not experienced at introducing queens, please read through the guidance notes below the timetable
Hope you have a great beekeeping season.
Jonathan Getty
How to introduce a queen
If you ordered your queen(s) before Christmas I should have some ready within the next couple of weeks. No need to email me as I will contact you directly about a suitable posting date. If you ordered early this year keep checking back here for any posting date updates. Weather has not been great for queen mating this past couple of weeks but hopefully things will improve.
