Package Bees & Nucs for Sale in Iowa
Little Apiary on the Prairie delivers package bees, nucleus colonies, and mated queens to Sioux City, Iowa, with delivery scheduled for April 2027. We’re a family-owned operation based in Fargo, North Dakota, running since 2018. Iowa is new territory for us in 2027. We do not ship live bees — pickup only.
We’ll be straight with you: Iowa currently has one stop. If Sioux City doesn’t work for you, keep reading — several of our stops in neighboring states may be closer than you’d expect.
Where can I pick up bees in Iowa?
Sioux City — our single Iowa stop, on the western edge of the state. The physical drop point is in South Sioux City, Nebraska, immediately across the river.
If you’re elsewhere in Iowa, these nearby stops are on the route:
- Northwest Iowa → Sioux City, IA or Yankton, SD
- North-central Iowa → Albert Lea, MN or Fairmont, MN
- Northeast Iowa → La Crosse, WI or Austin, MN
- Southwest Iowa → Omaha, NE
- Central Iowa → Omaha, NE or Grand Island, NE
Several of our Minnesota stops sit close to the Iowa border and already serve Iowa beekeepers. You select any pickup town at checkout regardless of what state you live in.
When do bees get delivered to Iowa?
Sioux City is on our southern run, alongside Nebraska, Wyoming, South Dakota, southern Minnesota, and southern Wisconsin.
Do nucs and packages arrive together?
No. Nucs and packages are delivered on separate days at every stop. We bring nucs through first, then come back through the same towns with packages about two weeks later. If you order both, expect two pickup days and two confirmed windows.
There’s a reason we run it in that order: we carry replacement nucs on the package run. If your colony has a problem, we can bring you another one instead of making you wait a season. We carry a limited number of spares, so it isn’t a blank check — but it’s why the route works this way.
Are delivery dates guaranteed?
No. Delivery is scheduled for April 2027 and those dates are tentative. We haul live animals across many states. Weather, supplier timing, and colony health all move dates, sometimes on short notice. We will not run a route on schedule if running it on schedule puts the bees at risk.
You’ll receive your exact stop, date, and time window by email as the route firms up, and you remain responsible for pickup on the final scheduled date. Read our delivery date policy.
Will you add more Iowa stops?
Possibly. We add stops where there’s demand, and 2027 is our first year in Iowa.
If you’d like a stop closer to you, call us at (701) 809-0153 and tell us where you are. We plan routes around where customers actually are, and a cluster of beekeepers in one area is exactly what gets a new stop added the following season. That’s how most of our 97 stops came to exist.
What can I buy for spring 2027?
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| 5-Frame Nucleus Colony (Nuc), Carniolan or Italian | $195 |
| Minnesota Overwintered Nuc, Carniolan or Italian | $215 |
| Package Bees, 3 lb, Carniolan or Italian | $160 |
| Package Bees, 2 lb, Carniolan or Italian | $135 |
| Mated Queen, Carniolan or Italian (unmarked) | $45 |
Everything on this page is a pre-order for spring 2027 delivery. Nothing ships now.
Questions?
Call or text (701) 809-0153, or email info@littleapiaryontheprairie.com. We’re always happy to help, even if you didn’t get your bees from us.