Nucs will not be available for 2025. During the December American Honey Producers Association Conference, I asked Ray Olivarez, owner of Olivarez Honey Bees, if he would consider providing nucleus hives for us this Spring. He said he thought he could and would explore doing so when he returned to California. After a few weeks, he called to tell me that they have decided not to do so for several reasons. 1. Ray and Randy Oliver both believe that nucleus colonies are actually a problem for beekeepers in general. They both said they have just seen too many nucs that come with problems. After taking a close look, he could not profitably make a nuc that would come close to many of the nucs on the market today. His experience is that many who make nucs use old queens, old frames and foundation, they do not treat the bees sufficiently to get ahead of the mite problem, the colony contains overly defensive bees with Africanized alleles, and other issues. 2. Ray would have made them only by using bees tested to be free of Africanized traits, that have been treated multiple times and are free of mites, with new frames with new wax, and that can be trusted to have a quality queen. After making up the nucs, he would be unable to ship them on the same trucks that bring our packages and would have to arrange alternative transportation because of the difference in air movement requirements. To do it right would provide a high quality nuc but at a price far above the market today. 3. He also believes that a package is the best way to start. New beekeepers can watch the colony develop and come to appreciate the full cycle of new bees and a new queen working together to build a thriving colony. He believes that the package bees pull wax much faster than those in a nuc provide they are fed properly and they have sufficient forage available for them to build the colony. He believes that honey bees in a package genetically know that they must produce wax rapidly if they are to build up sufficiently to thrive. He says that in his Montana bee operations, packages often out pace nucs because of the rapid wax production and high quality queens. Therefore, apologizing, he has decided not to get into the nuc business at scale. He will provide a few during his Bee event in Orland every Spring but not distribute them as he does with packages. After placing 150 packages here and 150 packages in Kentucky last year, we had such a good result that we too will stay with package bees this Spring and at a phenomenal price for you. Think about Ray and Randy's rationale. It comes from multi-generations of experience and wisdom. Thank you for what you do to help us help others. By buying our bees, you will help veterans recover and perhaps save a life. Simultaneously, we are working closely with Kansas State University to conduct research to develop solutions to our pressing bee problems. We are also working to help save a diminishing honey industry that is at significant risk. Please consider buying your bees from us this year. The price is right and your dollars go for much more than the bees. Thank you very much, and we wish all of you a year with full supers, low mite counts, no queen losses, and peace. Valor Honey is a not-for-profit 501c3 working to "Save Lives, Save Bees, and Save an Industry".