How legal is it to mail bees in Colorado?

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One animal that fills an often underappreciated need and is merely inconvenient for some but dangerous for others is often shipped via the USPS, but there are rules and regulations that must be adhered to.

How legal is it to mail bees in Colorado?

The honey bee is an essential part of maintaining a thriving ecosystem and the only source of pure, real honey. Several factors have threatened the livelihood of this important creature, which plays a major role in pollination, in recent years and the need for conservation has never been greater.

To achieve this, honey bees often need to be shipped and while it is highly unlikely that you will come across a package full of bees, sometimes their transportation is critical.

In Colorado, before a honey bee can be shipped, it must be disease-free, packaged in a container that can withstand varying temperatures, and the USPS must be notified to keep these packages away from areas exposed to insecticides.

Additionally, queen bees can be shipped by ground or air in a package clearly labeled “Live Queen Bees” and can be accompanied by as many as eight other, non-queen honey bees.

However, honey bees not accompanied by a queen may only be shipped by ground in a package clearly marked “Live Bees” and another label indicating that the item is for ground transportation only.

(USPS)