Live Organic Mealworms

Welcome to Hive Queen Insects!

We're a small, local, woman-owned and operated insect farm that got started in Raleigh, NC. While we still maintain a hub there, we've recently made the difficult decision to relocate a big chunk of our insect facilities to Southwest Ohio to be closer to our family! We're now shipping and offering local pickup in both Raleigh, NC and the Cincinnati/Batavia region of Ohio.

We're dedicated to producing the highest quality live feed for your beloved pets - for wild birds, chickens, reptiles, mammals, fish, and more!

We fell in love with rearing insects years ago when we discovered how much our quail and chickens loved eating termites. We'd go into the woods, find an old log and shake the termites out. We'd watch as the quail and chickens devoured them. It was strangely thrilling! Needless to say, we were hooked on feeding our pets live insects.

Several years later we learned all about the commercial bug industry and how a disruption hormone is sprayed on insects to prevent them from growing naturally. The insects we bought from local chains and even online vendors all showed signs of hormonal treatment. Not only that, but the insects were frail, hungry, and half dead on arrival. We wanted something better.

We care for our insects pretty obsessively. We never use any hormones or additives, and we feed them fruits and veggies sourced from small local farmers.

Within 3 generations of breeding our own insects, we noticed they became fatter, grew stronger, and lived longer than any other insect on the market. And customers were beginning to say the same thing. In fact, in our first year of starting this business, our customers were telling us they got more bluebird clutches per season than ever before, just from feeding them our mealworms.

We hear stories all the time about switching from bait shop worms to our worms and how much of a difference it has made to their pet's health and vitality. It really does make a difference!

Because we feed our insects a healthy all-natural diet, your pets will see the benefits and you will be getting your money's worth. Why pay for anemic, half-dead bugs that may or may not have been sprayed with chemicals when you can choose the healthier alternative that you KNOW is all natural and 100% safe for your pets. We stand behind the quality of our insects and we can't wait to share them with you!

Contact us directly at support@hivequeeninsects.com if you are interested in buying our bugs wholesale.

We also offer a standing discount to wildlife rehabbers across the country - contact us for more info!

We ship domestically and with carriers that accept live insects.  We will always attempt to use the fastest, cheapest method to ensure our 6+ legged friends arrive safely.  

We also offer local delivery depending on our availability.

We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.

To start a return, you can contact us at support@hivequeeninsects.com. Please note that returns will need to be sent to the following address: 11800 Doc Arnold Drive, Raleigh NC 27614

If your return is accepted, we’ll send you a return shipping label, as well as instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted.

You can always contact us for any return question at support@hivequeeninsects.com.

Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.

If a large number of your insects have arrived dead, please let us know.  Remember that if you place an order during high (85+ degrees) or extremely low temperature (below freezing) you may be asked to pay for shipping for us to send out an additional batch.  Ultimately, we want you and your pets to be satisfied and will do whatever we can to help!

Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of items cannot be returned, like perishable goods (such as food, flowers, or plants), custom products (such as special orders or personalized items), and personal care goods (such as beauty products). We also do not accept returns for hazardous materials, flammable liquids, or gases. Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns about your specific item.

Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on sale items or gift cards.

Exchanges
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.

European Union 14 day cooling off period
Notwithstanding the above, if the merchandise is being shipped into the European Union, you have the right to cancel or return your order within 14 days, for any reason and without a justification. As above, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.

Refunds
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method within 10 business days. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.
If more than 15 business days have passed since we’ve approved your return, please contact us at support@hivequeeninsects.com.