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TCA Bee Warranty

Extended Coverage for Your Hives

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Protect Your Investment

Let’s face it — even the best beekeepers lose hives. In Texas, annual hive losses average around 44%, and that includes folks who’ve been keeping bees for decades.

 

Here at Timber Creek Apiaries, we wanted to offer our customers something to help our local hobbyists — a way to replace bees that don’t make it through the season, without starting from scratch. That’s why we created The Bee Warranty: an optional protection plan for your investment

How to File a Claim

We don’t deny claims unless it’s obvious the bees were intentionally harmed or completely neglected.

  1. Submit your claim within 45 days of losing a hive.

  2. Use our Bee Warranty Claim Form to tell us what happened.

  3. We’ll confirm your claim and get your replacement scheduled.

Image by Heather McKean

Additional info!

TCA Bee Warranty

The TCA Bee Warranty is an optional extended warranty that applies only to hives purchased from TCA. Specifically either nucleus colonies (nucs), or single-story hives.​ In the event that the hive dies within our standard 30 day warranty, that warranty applies first.

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What does the Warranty Cover?

  • The TCA Bee Warranty covers colony survival for the length of the purchased warranty period. The warranty period begins when the customer picks up the hives, and ends April 1st the following year.

  • If a colony dies within the covered timeframe, Timber Creek Apiaries will provide a replacement at no cost. Each replacement includes both the bees and one mated queen per hive.

  • Replacements are distributed the following Spring during normal Timber Creek Apiaries pickup season.

  • Example: If bees bought in 2025 perish and the claim is filed properly, a replacement colony will be available during the spring pickup season of 2026.

  • Each hive must have its own warranty. Customers purchasing multiple colonies must purchase one warranty per hive. 

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How Replacement Works

  • All warranty replacements will only be for TCA Bees that the customer purchased the warranty in conjunction with.

  • Replacements will be available for pickup the following spring — during our standard hive pickup season

  • When picking up your replacement hives, you will. need to bring:

  • A nuc box with five empty frames OR A single-story hive body with 5 empty frames (framed must be in good condition)

  • We’ll trade your five empty frames with 5 healthy frames pulled from a Spring Nuc. This will include a mated, unmarked queen, her brood, and bees.

  • Frames must be in good condition — no wax moth damage, no major defects.

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What’s Not Covered

  • Woodenware, tools, or supplies.

  • Bees from other sellers.

  • Queen replacement (this plan covers the loss of the entire colony only).

  • Losses within our standard 30-day pickup warranty (that coverage applies first).

  • Bees neglected by not offering: Regular feeding (syrup or sugar bricks), Varroa mite testing and/or treatment, Feeding pollen patties

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Conditions that VOID the Warranty

To maintain coverage, customers must:

  • Feed their bees at least 5 gallons of syrup, plus 4 pollen patties over the warranty period

  • Conduct testing for Varroa mites, and apply at least one recognized treatment if infestation is detected

Proof of compliance can be shown by providing third-party receipts when filing a claim​

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The Bottom Line:

Beekeeping is unpredictable. The Bee Warranty keeps you from losing both your bees and your investment. We can’t stop winter losses or surprise swarms, but we can make sure you have a strong colony to start fresh next season.

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