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Apis mellifera

Regular price $5.95

The famous and wonderful Drone Honey Bee! These are the male's of a bee colony and are only ones responsible for fertilizing a new Queen. After mating, the male bees will die almost immediately. We are able to offer these specimens to you because we have developed a relationship with a local community group, that provides us honey bees that have unfortunately not survived the winter, or are collected (found dead) around the hive. Purchase of these bees will directly benefit and support this bee-keeping collaborative, where their mission is to support the native bee population & educate the community about their importance! *These bees all undergo our freezing & quarantine process to ensure they have no living contaminants or parasites.

Common Name: Drone Honey Bee

Origin: USA

Size mm: 15

Quality: NP

Sex: M

SKU: Hym300D

*Note: By default our butterflies and insects are not spread. They arrive folded in paper sleeves. If you'd like them rehydrated and spread, please add on a spreading service at checkout. Because this is a bespoke process, it will add several days to your order. We appreciate your patience!

$35 Minimum Order

Apis mellifera

We are the largest and oldest butterfly supplier & insect house in America.

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

Sustainably & Ethically Sourced

FAQs

If I don't add on the Spreading Service, how will my purchase arrive?

We sell dried butterflies and moths packaged in glassine envelopes with their wings closed (not spread) and antennae intact but not guaranteed because of their fragility or the quality selected. Other insects are set on cardboard covered with cellophane, legs and antennae tucked close to the body. Spreading and posing options are available at the time of purchase.

We take great care to package your order to assure safety in transit. Dried insects can be stored indefinitely or re-hydrated and spread when they arrive. With Morpho butterflies and some Saturnid moths, please note that many of our suppliers remove the abdomens to prevent the oil in them from staining the wings.

Spreading & framing service addons are available at checkout.

If I add a spreading service, how much time does that add to my order?

If you add a spreading service at checkout, 10-14 business days is typically the time needed to rehydrate and spread the specimen selected. If you need your order faster than that, select one of the Expedited Processing options at checkout, to jump to the front of the line.

What do the quality codes stand for?

A1: Specimen is perfect or nearly so.
NP: Near Perfect, very minor imperfection
A-: Good. Small chip or light scratch. (We cannot guarantee tarsi/legs on beetles.)
A2: Fair. Tear, nick, smudge, likely repairable
2nd: Suitable for reference purpose only

How is the size of a butterfly or insect measured?

Size is measured in millimeters (mm) in these dimensions:

Butterfly and moth size: Wingspan when spread flat from wing tip to wing tip 

Beetle size:  Length from jaw or horn tip to end of shell.  

Insect size:  Length from end of face to rear of body.

How does butterfly farming help preserve rainforests?

Butterfly farming helps to preserve rainforests and increases butterfly populations. Butterfly farms must preserve large areas of native forest growth to cultivate and collect the native host plants needed to feed their caterpillars and run their businesses. This provides motivation for farming families to protect local forests rather than sell the land for mono-crop farming, which is an unfortunate alternative.

We strongly support butterfly farming and conservation projects. Most of our butterflies and insects come from licensed breeders or from butterfly farms, which support ecosystems and economies and help the survival of the species. All these factors help ensure our butterflies and insects are sustainably and ethically sourced. Your purchases will help natural habitat conservation efforts around the world.

What happens if my butterfly or insect arrives damaged?

If there is a severe damage not expected based on the chosen grade, please contact us within 14 business days of delivery and we will take care of you and make things right!

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