1. Introduction

These Terms & Conditions govern all purchases made from Melo Bees, including queen bees, nucleus colonies (“nucs”), and any associated
products. By placing an order, the customer agrees to these terms.

2. Products

• Queen Bees: Supplied mated unless otherwise stated.
• Nucleus Colonies (Nucs): Supplied in a Correx travel box, which is included
  in the purchase price.
• All queens and nucs are inspected prior to dispatch to ensure they are healthy and fit for travel.

3. Pricing & Payment

• All prices are listed in GBP (£) and include VAT where applicable.
• Orders for queens and nucs require a non‑refundable deposit to secure availability.
• The remaining balance is payable upon receipt of invoice, issued shortly before dispatch or collection.
• We will send one reminder and if we still don’t receive the balance before the dispatch date, we will cancel the order and retain the deposit.
• Orders will not be dispatched or released for collection until the balance has been paid in full.
• Invoices are sent to the email address provided at the time of ordering. Occasionally, invoices may be filtered into spam or junk folders by the customer’s email provider. It is the customer’s responsibility to check these folders. If your order is due and you have not received your invoice, you must contact us promptly. Failure to receive or locate the invoice does not alter our cancellation policy.

 4. Delivery & Collection

• All queens and nucs are dispatched via Royal Mail Special Delivery (Next Day).
• Melo Bees does not guarantee Royal Mail’s delivery performance or timescales.
• Liability passes to the customer once the queens or nucs are delivered by Royal Mail, regardless of whether the customer is present to receive them.
• A tracking number is provided on the day of dispatch. Customers should monitor the tracking information and ensure someone is available to receive the queens/nucs.
• If the customer misses the delivery attempt, resulting in delay or redelivery, they will not be eligible for a replacement queen or a refund if the queen is dead on the subsequent delivery attempt.
• Once bees are delivered or collected, responsibility for their care transfers to the customer.

5. DOA Policy – Queen Bees

We take great care to ensure queens arrive alive and healthy. In the unfortunate event that a queen arrives dead on arrival (DOA), the following conditions apply:

• The customer must notify Melo Bees by email within 2 hours of receipt.
• A clear photo or video of the dead queen with proof of time of delivery must be provided within 2 hours. The queen must still be inside the original cage with the attendants.
• Removal of the queen from the cage invalidates the DOA policy.
• The dead queen must be returned to Melo Bees in the original cage, at the customer’s expense, for verification.
• Once the queen is received and confirmed DOA, we will send a replacement queen at our expense.
• If no replacement queens are available, we will issue a refund for the queen only.
• Queens inside nucs are contained in a cage for transport, and the same DOA terms apply.
• Replacements or refunds are only provided when all conditions above are met.
• We have a separate policy for our breeder queens. Please see the product information for details

 6. Drone Layers & Queen Performance

• Melo Bees guarantees that all queens are healthy and mated at the time of
  dispatch.
• We do not guarantee queen performance after introduction.
• Queens that become drone layers will have been affected by the heat incurred during delivery and therefore are not eligible for replacement or refund.
• Laying worker colonies are not covered under any circumstances.
• Customers are responsible for correct introduction procedures and colony management.

 7. Nucleus Colonies – Health & Responsibility

• Nucs are inspected before dispatch to ensure they are healthy and queen‑right.
• Customers collecting nucs must provide adequate ventilation during transportation.
• Melo Bees is not responsible for any damage, stress, or losses caused
  during onward transportation once the nuc has been collected.
• Due to the nature of live bees, we cannot offer refunds or replacements once the nuc has been collected or delivered.

 8. Cancellations & Refunds

• Deposits are non‑refundable.
• Orders for live bees cannot be cancelled once the bees have been prepared for dispatch.
• Refunds are not available for changes of mind or for issues arising from improper handling after delivery.

 9. Liability

Melo Bees is not liable for losses arising from:

• Weather conditions
• Beekeeper error
• Queen rejection
• Disease or pests introduced after delivery
• Royal Mail delays, missed deliveries, or handling issues including heat from delivery vans
• Inadequate ventilation or improper transportation of nucs after collection

Our liability is limited to the replacement or refund of DOA queens as outlined above.

10. Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.