Can I import queen bees or colonies from China?
Do not pay until the relevant UK authority confirms whether your proposed China-origin bee import is permitted. Check queens and colonies separately, then settle health certification, notification, border checks and arrival procedures. Supplier records can be gathered by Cambridge China Bridge.
Describe the bees and the destination
Ask the supplier for the scientific name, breeding location, actual origin, photographs and a precise description of the shipment. Distinguish queens with attendant workers from packages of workers, nucleus colonies and complete colonies. Do not treat confirmation of a queen import route as permission to send a colony.
Record whether delivery is to England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and describe hobby use explicitly. Ask the relevant authority whether any pet invertebrate route applies to your proposed bee shipment; see our live insects guide for related buying checks. This guide adds the bee-specific questions to resolve before buying.
Ask whether the actual route is permitted
For Great Britain, start with the Animal and Plant Health Agency, known as APHA, and ask for bee-health advice for the destination. For Northern Ireland, seek destination-specific advice from its agriculture authority. Send the species, origin apiary, supplier, shipment description, intended use, destination apiary and complete journey, including transfers.
Ask for written confirmation of whether that species, shipment type and Chinese origin are eligible under current conditions. Ask about disease safeguards and any restrictions affecting the origin or transit locations. If the proposed route is not permitted, stop the purchase. Our import restrictions guide covers the wider enquiry process.
Confirm health certification before paying
Bees exported to Great Britain must be accompanied by the relevant health certificate. Ask APHA which current certificate covers the proposed shipment and whether its conditions can be met for the named origin. A blank model certificate or the seller's assurance does not establish that the route is permitted.
Obtain a draft showing the actual species, origin, importer, destination and consignment details. Ask who will arrange official certification and what inspections or supporting records are needed. Compare the draft with the authority's reply before paying, and make dispatch conditional on the completed documentation.
Arrange notification and border handling
Importers and import agents use IPAFFS to notify authorities about imports to Great Britain. The non-EU import guidance requires notification at least one working day before expected arrival at the point of entry. Agree who submits it, who checks the details and who retains the acknowledgement.
Ask APHA and the proposed border control post to confirm that the direct China route can be accepted, which document, identity and physical checks apply, and how release is confirmed. Obtain carrier acceptance for the live bees and complete journey. Agree responsibility for delays, refused entry and collection. Our customs documents guide covers the separate customs file.
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Settle arrival tasks and the payment decision
Before dispatch, ask the destination bee-health team for written post-arrival instructions. Specifically ask whether queens must be transferred to fresh cages before introduction, what happens to attendant workers, and whether original cages and accompanying material must go for laboratory examination. Confirm the recipient, packing method, deadline and any inspection or movement arrangements.
Prepare a named receiver and suitable equipment around those instructions. Keep the authority reply, certificate, notification record, carrier acceptance and arrival plan together. Ask Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China to gather supplier records and document drafts for review. Keep payment on hold while route eligibility or any essential procedure remains unresolved.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import a bee colony from China?
Do not order a colony using permission or paperwork intended for queens. Ask the destination authority whether the exact colony shipment and Chinese origin are permitted before paying.
Are hobby bees covered by pet import rules?
Ask the relevant authority whether any pet invertebrate route applies to your proposed bee shipment. Describe your hobby purchase and full journey to the relevant authority and ask which bee import conditions apply.
Is a supplier's bee health certificate enough?
Check the required certificate with the authority and compare it with the actual consignment. A certificate alone does not confirm that the species, origin and route are eligible.
Can I put imported queens straight into my hive?
Obtain destination-specific instructions before dispatch. Ask about fresh cages, attendant workers, laboratory submission of transport materials and any inspection arrangements before introducing queens.