BC's (and beyonds) Beekeeping Supply Store
Urban Bee is dedicated to supplying the beekeepers of BC and beyond with high quality beekeping equipment and customer service.
We can accommodate orders for both shipping and pick-up via our Webstore, or you can Contact Us via call or email to place your order.
In addition to our wide range of supplies including Beginner Kits, we also sell the Bees themselves and provide various Education services including Beginner Classes each year to help new and learning beekeepers find success and support in their new passion!
Featured Products
Come Learn With Us!
Urban Bee isn't just your local beekeeping supply store, it is also your local education resource! From our Beginner Classes, to our Webinars, to our hands-on in-the-hive Field Days in our dedicated Educational Apiary - our goal is not just to supply new beekeepers with their starting equipment, but also to supply them with the knowledge and training they need to be successful in their new passion.
Our Instructors
We hope you will choose Urban Bee for your beginner beekeeping course and expanded learning needs. We are very fortunate to be joined by experienced and talented instructors to help you on your beekeeping journey:
Julia Common
Julia is a Vancouver, BC-area beekeeper with over 40 years of experience and is a BCHPA certified instructor. Formerly the co-founder and chief beekeeper of Hives for Humanity, Julia’s current focus lies in her research, pollination work, and livestock production through her operation ‘Bees Actually’. Julia is also a frequent speaker at local bee clubs, providing knowledge and insight in her unique voice to hundreds of local beekeepers year after year.
Julia knows what is most helpful for “newbees” making their management decisions and is inspired to help them become thoughtful and successful beekeepers. You will love her enthusiastic teaching style, and she is very well known for her fun & insightful presentations.
Brian Campbell
Brian is a Master Beekeeper and Master Gardener, has been keeping bees of all kinds for more than twenty years, and has been a beekeeping intructor for many years through institutions such as Kwantlen & Langara.
Brian is also known for his efforts in pollinator conservation and education. He has been involved with VanDusen Gardens for over 15 years, leading many workshops and guided tours on native pollinators. Brian has also been a consultant for Border Free Bees in their design of pollinator friendly pastures and has designed many of the pollinator Seed Blends that are offered at West Coast Seeds.
With his background in both bees & seeds Brian is a wellspring of knowledge and insight into the world of bees both inside and out of the honey bee hive.
2023 Live Bee Reservations
We offer various live bee options each year. Typically reservation in advanced is needed.
- Imported Packaged Bees: We import Arataki packaged bees (in tubes) from New Zealand & 1.5 KG Tasmanian packages (in meshed boxes) each year. Typically we begin taking reservations in December-January, and they arrive in March or early April. 2023 Package Sales are now closed:
- Nucs: We purchase nucleus colonies ("nucs") from local producers each year. Typically we begin taking reservations in February-March, and they arrive in May-June.
- Queens: We import queens in the Spring & Summer, and have locally produced queens in the Summer once they become available. Reservations for the earliest options typically open January-February, and the first batches arrive in early April.
On Sale
Latest News / Events
Please note that Urban Bee will be CLOSED FOR INVENTORY between Tuesday June 20th - Friday June 23rd 2023. During this period, our store will be closed to all browsing, order pick-ups and shipping. As a than...
Read more(Photo Credit: NOD Apiary Producers, producer of our Bee Cozies) From October 17th 2022 - January 15th 2023 our Hours of Operation are as follows: Wednesday-Saturday: 930 am - 5 pm CLOSED Monday, Tuesday &am...
Read moreUrban Bee's retail hours are changing to better serve our customers during the height of the season. On March 31st, we will be switching to the following retail hours: OPEN Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday:...
Read moreLatest News / Events
Please note that Urban Bee will be CLOSED FOR INVENTORY between Tuesday June 20th - Friday June 23rd 2023. During this period, our store will be closed to all browsing, order pick-ups and shipping. As a than...
Read more(Photo Credit: NOD Apiary Producers, producer of our Bee Cozies) From October 17th 2022 - January 15th 2023 our Hours of Operation are as follows: Wednesday-Saturday: 930 am - 5 pm CLOSED Monday, Tuesday &am...
Read moreUrban Bee's retail hours are changing to better serve our customers during the height of the season. On March 31st, we will be switching to the following retail hours: OPEN Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday:...
Read more