Skip to Content

Beehive Management Service

Our beehive management service is designed for customers who already own their beehives and want a professional beekeeper to care for them.


Pricing

We offer two pricing options depending on the type of service requested.


a)Scheduled Visits

These rates apply to customers who schedule regular hive management visits with no more than 30 days between consecutive visits.

1 to 3 hives: $100 per visit

4 hives: $130 per visit

5 hives: $160 per visit

6 hives: $190 per visit

Each additional hive: +$30 per hive, per visit


b)On-Call Visits

These rates apply to one-time or as-needed visits, including emergency visits or visits scheduled more than 30 days after the previous management visit.

1 to 3 hives: $150 per visit

4 hives: $195 per visit

5 hives: $240 per visit

6 hives: $285 per visit

Each additional hive: +$45 per hive, per visit


What Is Included

During each visit we perform the necessary hive management, which may include:

  • Hive inspections
  • Queen evaluation
  • Swarm prevention and management
  • Disease and pest monitoring
  • Feeding when needed (customers must provide syrup and feeders)
  • General hive maintenance
  • Seasonal management recommendations

The exact work performed depends on the season and the condition of the colonies.

The Beehive Management Service includes professional beekeeping labor only. We do not provide bees, equipment, tools, medications, feed, or any other beekeeping supplies. All beekeeping equipment, materials, and consumables required for the management of the colonies must be provided by the customer.

The duration of each visit may vary depending on the condition of the colonies, the work required, the season, and the beekeeper's experience, efficiency, and working pace on that particular day. For this reason, our service is priced per visit rather than by the hour. For example, a visit to inspect 1 to 3 hives may take approximately 45 minutes on one day, while the same visit may require 2 hours or more on another day. Our pricing is based on completing the necessary hive management tasks and providing quality beekeeping service, not on the amount of time spent at the apiary.



Customer Responsibilities

This service covers professional beekeeping labor only.

The customer is responsible for providing and owning:

  • All beehives, hive components, and beekeeping tools
  • The bees
  • Medications and mite treatments
  • Feed (sugar syrup, pollen patties, etc.)
  • Replacement equipment or parts when needed
  • Any additional beekeeping supplies required for the colonies

For biosecurity reasons, beekeeping tools and equipment cannot be shared between different apiaries. This helps prevent the spread of pests and diseases such as American Foulbrood, Nosema, viruses, mites, and other bee health issues.

If specialized equipment or materials are needed for your apiary, they must be supplied specifically for your hives.


Honey Extraction Service

Honey extraction is not included as part of the regular hive management visits. If honey extraction services are needed, they must be scheduled separately and will be performed at our honey extraction facility in Mendon MA. This service is billed at a separate rate. If desired, a mutually agreed-upon portion of the harvested honey may be used as full or partial payment for the honey extraction service.


Many of our clients choose to perform their own honey extraction and find it to be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of beekeeping. With the right equipment and a little guidance, honey extraction is a straightforward process that most beekeepers can easily learn. We are always happy to provide advice and answer questions to help our clients become confident in harvesting their own honey.


Many of our clients also sell a portion of their harvested honey to family, friends, neighbors, or local customers. In many cases, the income from these honey sales covers a significant portion of their annual beekeeping expenses, and for some clients it covers all of their yearly costs, including hive management services and other routine beekeeping expenses.




Recommended Visit Frequency

We generally recommend scheduling a hive management visit every two weeks during the active beekeeping season. This schedule works well for most colonies and allows for timely inspections, queen evaluations, and seasonal management.

For the best colony health and performance, the optimal inspection interval is approximately every 10 days. This allows issues such as swarm preparations, queen problems, and developing diseases to be identified and addressed earlier.

The ideal visit frequency may vary depending on the season, colony strength, weather conditions, and your beekeeping goals.

Many of our clients have found that the most cost-effective approach is to perform basic visual inspections themselves between professional visits and schedule one management visit per month with us. This combination allows them to keep an eye on their colonies while still benefiting from regular professional evaluations and guidance. If any concerns arise between scheduled visits, additional visits can always be arranged as needed.


Scheduling and Service Commitment

There is no long-term contract or minimum commitment required for this service.

Visits may be scheduled as needed and may be canceled or rescheduled. Customers are charged only for the visits they schedule and receive.


Commercial and Custom Management Plans

If you have a larger apiary or require a customized management schedule, we would be happy to develop a management plan tailored to your specific needs.

Please contact us to discuss management services for commercial operations or larger apiaries.