Most Buzzworthy Gifts For Beekeepers That Are Sure to Delight

What do you give a beekeeper? Looking for gifts for beekeepers but not sure what to give? 

As a beekeeper, I can tell you that finding something our kind would treasure isn’t as complicated as it would seem.

With time, we can become a little obsessed with our little six-legged friends, the honey bees. Our lives and actions revolve around whatever we think is good for them.

Even though we don’t name them as you would a puppy, we sure do love them.

So naturally, if you want to show your appreciation for your favorite Beekeeper, get something that speaks to the honey bee and beekeeping itself.

Let’s go through a few perfect gifts for beekeepers that are sure to make your beekeeper friend buzz with joy.

12/21/2024 08:44 am GMT

Essential Gifts for Beekeepers

When you are looking to support a friend or family member in their beekeeping journey, finding the perfect gift can be challenging, especially when you don’t have an idea about beekeeping. All hope is not lost, though, as there are many choices to choose from depending on your budget.

From protective gear that protects beekeepers from stings to tools that help in honey extraction and hive management, the world of beekeeping is full of beekeeping equipment that may be gifted to any beekeeping enthusiast.

Let us delve into these hives of essential gifts for beekeepers that are sure to surprise them and keep them buzzing with excitement.

For Beginning Beekeepers

There are a variety of beekeeping supplies that you could gift a beginning beekeeper.

Gifts Under $25

Books and Magazines

Beekeeping is a vocation. It’s a calling that allows one to learn so much about these beautiful little helpers year after year.

Every day, a scientist or a beekeeper discovers something new about honeybees. Whether it’s about honey bee biology or new advancements in keeping bees, beekeepers are always seeking to update themselves on new information or verify basic facts.

With beekeeping books, there’s something for everyone at any stage of beekeeping.

For the new beekeeper, Beekeeping for Dummies by Howland Blackiston will be the first in their collection. Trailing behind is The Beekeeper’s Handbook by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile.

Both the Beekeeping for Dummies and The Beekeeper’s Handbook provide valuable information on setting up an apiary and starting a colony. They also provide detailed advice on how to efficiently accomplish beekeeping tasks such as assembling and maintaining beehives, safely inspecting beehives, identifying pests and treating them, and many more.

If you know someone who has been hinting at owning a hive or two, this gift will keep on giving.

If the apiarist in question is a bee lover and interested in honey bees, then Honeybee Democracy by Thomas D. Seeley will be the way to go. This book for the advanced beekeeper contains more information on the biology of the bee and is useful in understanding bee behavior.

In our review of beekeeping books that are beginner-friendly, you can see more choices that may suit your beekeeper friend.

If they have a substantial collection of books on beekeeping, try a subscription to the American Bee Journal and/or Bee Culture magazine. Both the American Bee Journal and Bee Culture Magazine are available as gift subscriptions, and a three-month gift subscription would cost only about $10.

You may need to do a little spying to make sure you don’t get them a copy of something they already own.

Hive tool

Every beekeeper, both beginning beekeepers and experienced beekeepers alike, uses a beekeeping suit, smoker, and a hive tool like this.

The hive tool is a little crowbar that most beekeepers use to pry open the hive and break the seal of sticky propolis, which bees use to fill in any gaps they find in the hive.

Any beekeeper will tell you that they’ve had to replace their hive tool at least a couple of times.

The smoker and bee suit are pretty difficult to misplace, and though they are welcome, the first and easiest gift to add to your Beekeeper’s beginner kits is a hive tool.

Bee-branded merchandise (T-shirts, mugs, and caps)

Since we can’t go about in our bee jackets all day, we need something to wear to the grocery store.

Although beekeepers come in different shapes, sizes, and personalities, the one thing we have in common is that we are proud of our bees. While we cannot use our beekeeping suit to go shopping, there’s still a wide variety of t-shirts to choose from.

Some announce loud and proud of what the wearer is; others have a twist of humor to the wording.

They come in different sizes and styles, so you will definitely get something that fits your intended receiver.

My favorite is the ‘Beekeeper: because freakin’ awesome is not an official job title’ t-shirt. I might just gift that to myself.

The mugs are a great gift idea as well because it doesn’t matter how many mugs you own; you always have a favorite. What makes it your favorite has little to do with its function. It boils down to sentimental value.

What would a beekeeper love more than a daily acknowledgment of the noble work they do from their morning cup of coffee? I can’t think of anything.

Waking up to “Bee Happy” every day is a great life affirmation, wouldn’t you say?

Since beekeepers are outdoor people, you can’t go wrong with a cap.

I’m partial to this Save the Bees cap. It comes in different colors and designs, so you will be spoilt for choice. The message is clear, and any beekeeper will be proud to sport it.

Gifts Under $100

Beekeepers Journal

Beekeeping is a very manual job. Even though we live in an age of spreadsheets and automated applications, many beekeepers will prefer to put pen to paper to monitor the hive’s progress on a day-to-day basis.

Why this journal? Why would your favorite beekeeper favor this one over any old notebook?

Well, this journal, which is by Kim Flotum, a well-respected author of ‘The Backyard Beekeeper,’ provides helpful tips and pictures that help to guide your record-keeping and capture any beekeeping lessons learned in practice.

Every season, the honey bees will do something that the Beekeeper will find noteworthy, either for memory or to look up and investigate.

Among other gift ideas, this journal makes the beekeeping journey more colorful and fun. This one belongs on the good side of Santa’s list.

Beekeeping Starter Kit

One of the best gifts for beekeepers would be a beekeeping starter kit. The kit has all the essential tools and equipment needed to embark on one’s beekeeping journey. It includes items like a beekeeping suit, gloves, a smoker, and hive tools.

When purchased individually, these tools and equipment can be quite costly. So, gifting a beekeeper one of these kits would not only be a show of support for his endeavor, but you would be saving him from some expenses, too.

For beginners, a starter kit simplifies the process. Having them all in one package makes it easier for newcomers to get started.

This Beekeeping Starter Kit includes many essential beekeeping supplies that a new beekeeper would get sooner. The kit is comprised of a bee smoker with pellets, a bee frame holder, a bottom board, a queen excluder, an entrance reducer, a bee suit, and a few more.

For The Hive

7 Frame Langstroth Nucleus Assembled Bee Hive

This honey bee hive is super user-friendly, whether you’re just starting out or an experienced beekeeper. The hive comes fully assembled and doesn’t require any painting. With this beehive, cleaning, checking on your bees, and giving them food would be a breeze.

Its insulated design is built to handle extreme weather, providing crucial protection to the honey bee colony. It keeps moisture out, so your bees stay cozy during chilly winters.

It comes with some handy features like a screened bottom board, a split entrance with entrance reducers, and two top feeders.

This set is designed for Langstroth frames, which is the most common hive type, ensuring compatibility with the local beekeeping community.

Screened Bottom Board

This screened board for 10-frame Langstroth hives would be a good gift as well. It’s specially designed to make beekeeping easier and more effective, even for beginners.

It comes with a handy tray for easy hive inspection and treatment monitoring for issues like Varroa mites and other pests. 

The entrance reducers add an extra layer of security for the hive and act as a guard against robbing bees and other unwelcome visitors. This enhances the chances of a successful start for a new beekeeper’s colony.

Made from tough, food-grade plastic, this bottom board won’t rot and is easy to clean. It’s built to last and can withstand impacts.

Bee Feeder

A water feeder is an incredibly thoughtful and practical gift for a new beekeeper.

Providing a dedicated water source near the hive prevents bees from venturing too far in search of water, reducing the risk of them getting lost or harmed. It ensures that the bees have a readily accessible supply of water, particularly during hot and dry periods when dehydration is a real concern.

This 2 Pack Bee Water Feeder may be a small gift but would have a significant contribution in promoting the well-being of their bees and ensuring the health and productivity of the honey bee colony.

It is transparent, so you can easily see how much water is left without bothering the bees. This makes it simple to plan when to refill it.

Using this feeder is a piece of cake. Just install it in seconds, place it where your bees can find it, and they’ll naturally start using it. It’s a time and energy-saver for beekeepers.

For Hive Management

Hive Stand

A hive stand is a great gift for a beekeeper as you will not only be gifting an essential for the hive. You will be gifting your beekeeper time by saving him from building his own hive stand.

Any hive stand can make beekeeping much easier and more efficient. By getting a hive stand, the bees are safe from predators. The hive stays dry and free of hive issues and diseases. 

At the same time, beekeepers are able to access the hive better, enabling more efficient hive management and inspection.

A bonus benefit would be it adds a touch of style to one’s bee yard.

Brix Refractometer

If you are looking for a thoughtful and practical gift for a beekeeper, this Brix refractometer is a great option. It is a gift that the beekeeper will appreciate and use for many years to come.

The Brix Meter Refractometer is used to measure the sugar content of honey, which is important for any beekeeper in determining when to harvest honey and the quality of the honey. When the honey is of high quality, beekeepers are able to sell it for a higher price. 

This refractometer is durable, portable, and easy to use. With an automatic temperature compensation, results are displayed quickly.

Queen Bee Marking Kit

A queen bee marking kit is another great gift for a beekeeper. It is a tool that beekeepers use to mark their queen bees, which can help them to identify the queen and track her movements.

This can be helpful in determining the age of the queen, tracking her during a swarm, and identifying her among the bees inside the hive.

This Queen Marking Kit includes all the essentials: a queen cage and marking pens in 5 standard colors (Green, Blue, Yellow, White, and Red).

For The Hobbyist

Beeswax Craft Books

Most hobbyists keep bees for the love of nature and enjoy the golden syrup as a sufficient trade-off for their time.

If you have top-bar hives or prefer the crushing method of extracting honey, then you may have some bits of wax cappings left over after the harvest.

So, what is a beekeeper to do? Petra Ahnert, author of Beeswax Alchemy, provides the beekeeper/wax enthusiast with a vast choice of products that you can make in your home.

A gift idea like this could have a boomerang effect. The giftee will always want to show the gifter (that’s you) that they are putting the book to good use by making candles and other products.

Signs

Once again, our pride betrays us. Get us bee-branded parking signs, office signs, and even ‘No Spray’ signs, and we’ll perform the happiest waggle dance you’ve ever seen.

The signs can be witty and humorous or just plain informative. For instance, the ‘No spray sign’ would remind neighbors to avoid spraying noxious chemicals, particularly during the day.

The assumption here is that you have neighbors who have an active conscience and maybe even an appreciation for honey bees.

The humorous signs just liven up the place, so I’m sure they’ll be put up before the wrapping paper is put away.

For The Beekeeper’s Comfort

Smoker

A bee smoker is just one of the many gift ideas that you could give.

Any stainless steel bee smoker is sure to delight any beekeeper. The smoker keeps the bees calm as one inspects or opens the beehive. Without it, beekeeping can be a more challenging and riskier endeavor.

A bee smoker, along with protective gear, protects many beekeepers from bee stings.

Giving a bee smoker as a gift would show recognition of the beekeeper’s passion for beekeeping. Beekeeping, after all, is more of a labor of love for the honey bees, requiring a dedication of time and money.

By giving a bee smoker, you give the receiver more than just a gift. You give him a reaffirmation of his dedication to saving the bees and supporting the environment.

Protective Gear Set (Bee Suit, Veil, and Gloves)

A Protective Gear Set, consisting of a bee suit, veil, and gloves, is an invaluable and thoughtful gift for a new beekeeper for several compelling reasons.

Safety is paramount in beekeeping. The bee suit, veil, and gloves provide essential protection against bee stings, allowing new beekeepers to work confidently with their hives. This gear acts as a physical barrier, preventing painful stings that can deter new beekeepers from working comfortably on their hives. 

But with a complete protective gear set, any new beekeeper would be more confident in conducting hive inspections and performing hive management activities. 

This gift would be a showing of concern for the new beekeeper’s safety and comfort. It acknowledges the challenges and potential risks of beekeeping while demonstrating support for their pursuit of this important and fascinating hobby.

For Honey Lovers

Honey Harvesting Tool Kit

Why gift one tool when you can give many without breaking the bank?

The honey harvesting tool kit would provide your favorite beekeeper with the necessary tools.

This starter tool kit includes a honey sieve strainer, frame holder, uncapping fork, honey gate, and bee queen catcher. With these tools, the receiver is sure to make the most of his harvest and get more honey.

Honey Pot

I know what you’re thinking. Surely, a beekeeper would own a honey pot like this, wouldn’t they? Probably not.

They usually use a regular old mason jar. They display it proudly because the contents are the result of a labor of love.

It wouldn’t occur to them to dress up the honey and give it the display case it requires. That’s where you come in.

A honey pot with a matching dipper would make for the perfect gift.

First of all, you know they’ll use it, so it’s definitely not getting returned or re-gifted. Second, they’ll think of you every time they’ll fill it up.

Unlike the Mason jar that is likely to reside in the kitchen, this item may make its permanent home in the center of the dining table. It would make the perfect centerpiece, and it’s pretty easy to find out if your intended giftee owns one.

Honey Dipper

When your beekeeper gift receiver is a fan of honey, what better way to let him/her enjoy this golden syrup than by using a honey dipper?

A good honey dipper is sure to get your beekeeper excited about drizzling honey.

Just make sure that he does not have the same item at home. Still, it would not hurt to have an extra one for future use, right?

For the Experienced Beekeeper

An experienced beekeeper would most likely have all the necessities in his bee yard. But that does not mean that you are without options on the gifts you could give him.

Honey Extractor

The honey extractor would be an extraordinary gift for a beekeeper. This beekeeping equipment simplifies the honey extraction process.

Extracting honey directly from the comb can be a labor-intensive and time-consuming task. With a honey extractor, the process of extracting honey is streamlined, making it more efficient and less physically demanding.

It even allows beekeepers to harvest honey without destroying the comb, enabling them to reuse it. It would definitely be a worthy investment for the beekeeper recipient.

Thermal Camera 

A thermal camera helps beekeepers as it allows them to get a perspective of the insides of the hives without actually opening them. Through thermal imaging, the internal temperature distribution inside the hive is shown, allowing beekeepers to see the activities of their bees.

Using a thermal camera helps in a smoother and less stressful hive monitoring and management. It helps them see the health of the colony and identify any hive issues.

Many of these thermal cameras are compatible with many mobile phones, offering convenience and accessibility. Beekeepers can capture and store thermal images directly on their phones for future reference or to share with fellow beekeepers or experts for insights and advice.

A Thermal Camera is definitely one of the awesome gift ideas you can give. It’s a tool that combines innovation and practicality for the modern beekeeper.

Swarm Commander

Beekeepers do their best to keep bees from swarming and moving away. Even so, sometimes, nature refuses to cooperate.

If you get your timings wrong, the colony will split, and the old queen will be out the door with more than a third of the workforce. It’s a beautiful phenomenon to witness unless you’re the one losing the bees.

Fortunately, all hope is not lost. With a bait hive/swarm trap and a swarm lure, the beekeeper gets to keep the newly formed colony.

Swarm lures are not created equal, and the master has to be this swarm lure. The swarm lure spray mimics the scent of Nasonov pheromone secreted by worker bees to guide foragers back home.

As beekeepers grow, buying package bees each time can be very expensive. If you can help your friend catch a swarm for free, that could save him/her a pretty penny. The swarm lure is one of the practical gifts that any beekeeper will never tire of.

Who knows? It might even get your friend wild bees to keep for life, too!

Queen rearing kit

In the beginning, a beekeeper relies on package bees, which are expensive in the long term.

As one gains more experience, beekeepers come to understand that some bees perform better and thrive more in your bee yard than others.

These genetic traits are valuable to a beekeeper, and it will be in the interest of the Beekeeper to have more colonies carrying these traits.

Rather than take a risk and purchase a queen whose performance is not guaranteed, they can choose and raise a queen from an existing colony that has shown that it not only survives in that environment but thrives as well.

It’s almost like picking Kenyan genes for a long-distance runner.

Queen rearing can be daunting at first, but beekeepers grow into it and, with a little experience, cannot fathom why they didn’t raise their own queens earlier.

As we know, the first step is the hardest, which is where you come in. A good queen-rearing kit is a gift that is easy on the pocket and will nudge your favorite Beekeeper in the right direction.

Once they get the hang of it, they’ll keep thanking you every time they set up a new thriving colony.

A Helping Hand

They say the best gift you can give someone is yourself. This is definitely true in the beekeeping world.

An extra set of hands is always welcome. Hive inspection and harvesting are both manual jobs with no shortcuts.

If you want to make it fun, draw a couple of redeemable coupons where they can call on you for muscle. It will bring you closer together, and who knows, it may make a beekeeper out of you.

So there you have it! These are the best gifts for beekeepers that are sure to put a smile on any beekeeper’s face.