Frequently asked questions
Common questions about raw local honey, honey bee removal, swarm collection, nucs and queens, and beekeeping mentorship in Central Pennsylvania. If you don't see your question answered here, call or text 717-379-3248.
About The Alleman Apiary
How long have you been beekeeping?
10+ years of beekeeping in Central PA. Multiple apiary sites, queen rearing, nuc production, and bee removal. Family-run operation.
Where are you located?
Honey stand and main apiary at 3502 High St., Harrisburg, PA 17109. We service Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon, and surrounding counties.
How do I reach you?
Phone or text 717-379-3248. Email TheAllemanApiary@gmail.com. Text is fastest, especially during swarm season.
Honey bee removal & swarms
Will you remove honey bees from my house for free?
Free for accessible swarms (clusters of bees hanging in the open). Established colonies inside walls, soffits, or chimneys are quoted on-site after we see the situation. See our Bee Removal page for full details.
How fast can you respond to a swarm?
Same-day during peak swarm season (April through early July) whenever possible. Don't wait — swarms move on within 24–72 hours.
Do you kill any honey bees?
No. Live removal and relocation only. If a colony can't safely be relocated, we tell you up front and discuss options.
What about bumble bees?
We relocate bumble bee colonies to our apiary rather than killing them. Most pest control companies kill them. Most beekeepers won't touch them. See Bee Removal for the bumble bee relocation section.
What if I don't have honey bees — what if it's yellow jackets or hornets?
Send a photo to 717-379-3248 — we identify for free. If it's a stinging insect that isn't honey bees, our sister company Lawns Plants & Pests LLC handles those professionally.
Local honey
How is your honey different from grocery store honey?
Raw, unfiltered, never heated, never blended, single-source from our hives. See our Local Honey page for the full story.
Where can I buy it?
Self-serve honey stand at 3502 High St., Harrisburg, PA 17109. Cash, CashApp, or Venmo, honor system. Open dawn to dusk. Larger or specialty orders — call 717-379-3248 to arrange.
Why is my honey crystallized?
Crystallization is a sign of real, raw honey. To re-liquify, place the jar in warm (not hot) water for 15–30 minutes. Don't microwave. See our article on why raw honey crystallizes.
Do you ship honey?
No, pickup only at our honey stand. We're a local apiary, and we'd rather have you taste it in person.
Is your honey organic?
The honest answer: nobody producing honey in the eastern U.S. can legitimately claim "organic" the way the term is used for produce. Honey bees forage up to 3 miles from the hive — we can't control where 50,000 bees decide to fly. Be skeptical of anyone in PA selling "organic honey."
Nucs & queens
When can I buy nucs?
Spring — typically late April through June, weather permitting. Reservations open in fall with a 50% deposit. See Nucs & Queens.
What kind of bees are they?
Mixed Northern survivor stock — Carniolan, Italian, Russian, and local genetics selected for PA conditions. Not pure-breed; they're working bees adapted to Pennsylvania.
Do you ship nucs or queens?
No, pickup only at our apiary in Harrisburg, PA.
What's the difference between a package and a nuc?
A package is loose bees with a caged queen — no comb, no brood, no food. A nuc is a small, established working colony with all of that. Nucs install faster, build up faster, and have a much higher success rate.
Beekeeping mentorship
I'm new to beekeeping. Can you help?
Yes — that's specifically what we do. Hands-on first-year mentorship at your hives, plus ongoing phone/text support. See Apiary Services.
I'm an experienced beekeeper but I'm losing hives. Can you consult?
Yes. Apiary consulting for established beekeepers includes full inspection, problem diagnosis, and a corrective treatment/management plan. Call 717-379-3248.
Do you teach group classes?
Not formally. We focus on one-on-one or small-group hands-on mentorship at the hives — that's what actually transfers skill. For classroom-style instruction, CABA and Penn State Extension both run good intro classes that we frequently recommend as a starting point.
About Lawns Plants & Pests LLC
Are you the same business as Lawns Plants & Pests LLC?
Same family, same phone number, two distinct businesses. The Alleman Apiary handles bees and honey. Lawns Plants & Pests LLC handles pest control, lawn care, plant health care, mosquito/tick treatments, wildlife removal, agricultural pest, and pond management. When you call 717-379-3248, we sort out which business handles what you need.
Have a question we didn't answer?
Call or text 717-379-3248, or email TheAllemanApiary@gmail.com. We try to respond same day.
Call or Text 717-379-3248