I wouldn't consider them cheap by any extent. The prices are close to about $57 for 3lbs with a queen (and that's not including shipping). Those bees come from Georgia. If I want my bees through the apiary in Northern PA, they are a few dollars more. That particular apiary has their package bees hauled in from the south somewhere also. There's a huge apiary over in the next town from me. I don't know if he ships or what his prices are but he raises his own package bees. He's a migratory keeper, spending summers in PA and winters in FL. When he comes back from FL he'll stop in places like the Carolinas pollenating orchards and such. I would like to know what he charges myself. It's most likely my cheapest bet, but when I was talking to him a few months ago, he said he MIGHT not be doing packages this year.