Honey bees can be acquired a few different ways, and like anything else, there are pros and cons with each approach.

Swarm: This method of getting honey bees is great because they are free bees!  But there is no guarantee that you can catch or trap a swarm, so this is probably not the most reliable method for acquiring bees for the new beekeeper.

Package: Packages of honey bees are delivered around March.  This method of acquiring honey bees is good choice for new and experienced beekeepers, plus the cost of a package can be fairly reasonable.  The downside of packages is that the honey bees and queen are not familiar with each other and extra care must be taken to ensure the queen is accepted.

Nucleus colony, or nuc: Nucs are the best way for new beekeepers to start out or for experienced beekeepers to expand their apiary.  Nucs are normally delivered later than packages, any time from April to June.  The benefit of starting off with a nuc is that the queen and the honey bees are an established colony, so no introductions are needed.  The downside to nucs is their cost, which can be much more than packages.  

Packages are normally purchased through a honey bee supply store.  Nucs can also be purchased through a honey bee supply store, or directly from a licensed supplier as found on the North Carolina Apiary Services website (click here).