If you have a close friend or family member who enjoys beekeeping as a hobby or profession, you might be thinking of ways to brighten their day with a beekeeping-related holiday gift. This list of 10 great holiday gift ideas for beekeepers will help you narrow down some options. Some of the items are practical for beekeepers, while others are just plain fun. Whatever gift you choose to give, just make sure it comes from the heart. Do some research, think these options through, and have a honey-sweet holiday!
1. Beekeeping Magazine Subscriptions
Many people are attracted to beekeeping as a hobby or a career because it promotes constant learning. New techniques and tools are always being added to a beekeeper’s skillset. With that comes a great deal of research and reading material. If there is a beekeeper in your life, chances are they can benefit from a subscription to a beekeeping magazine.
Good reading material can help them unlock new, vital tricks of the trade. Some of the most popular options in the United States are Bee Culture and American Bee Journal. Just make sure you talk to the beekeeper about which magazines they already receive. You obviously want to avoid sending second copies of the same magazine.
2. Small Hive Beetle Traps
Gifting small hive beetle traps is a great way to show that you have done your research into beekeeping. It is a gift that most non-beekeepers would not be familiar with, but beekeepers understand their importance all too well. These traps are the best way to combat the beetle pests that invade their hives and turn their bees’ lives upside down.
Small hive beetle traps come in two different styles, but both work well. Really amazing friends will gift one of each so that their friends can pick the best one for themselves. Shock and amaze your friends with your institutional knowledge by giving them these traps.
3. A Book on Swarming
If your beekeeper friend or family member wants to know the psychology behind beekeeping, a book that explains how and why bees swarm is an excellent gift. Beekeeping is full of easy-to-digest bits of science. People who enjoy the hobby can read countless books about the interesting science and thought leadership that inspires beekeepers every day.
Some of the most popular titles are written by the author Thomas Seeley. He is known for his spectacular books about swarming. Titles like Following the Wild Bees, The Lives of Bees, and Honeybee Democracy are great additions to any beekeeper’s personal library.
4. Infrared Camera
Another option among the 10 great holiday gift ideas for beekeepers is infrared cameras. With an infrared camera, or IR camera, beekeepers can keep an eye on their bees year-round. Modern day IR cameras are placed in the hive and take photos of the activity therein. Even during the winter, you can check to see the size of your bee population and also look out for invasive visitors, like mice.
The beekeeper in your life will be ecstatic to receive one of these gadgets. If they have been keeping up with beekeeping technology, chances are that they have already heard of their potential. By gifting them their own IR camera, they are elevating their beekeeping skills to the next level.
5. Hive Tools
If you gift your beekeeper friend brand-new hive tools, you are signaling once again that you have done your research into their interests. Hive tools come in a variety of styles, and they are intended to work as an all-in-one beekeeping tool. Primarily, beekeepers use hive tools to pry things apart and scrape things off.
Beekeepers can always benefit from having extra tools on hand. Tools do not last forever, so replacements should always be left in the tool shed. Do your research to learn about the top hive tools this season. If the recipient is a true beekeeper, they’ll be able to tell the top-of-the-line options from the cheaper ones. It’s best not to disappoint.
6. Varroa Mite Tester
Varroa mite testers are the sort of product beekeepers think about buying all the time but never do. But they can be great tools in combatting the annoying pests known as varroa mites, which constantly devastate hives. The tool helps beekeepers get an accurate count of how many mites have invaded their bees’ home.
With this tool, you just might be a lifesaver for your beekeeper friends. Detecting varroa mites early in the season will give beekeepers the chance to jump into action.
7. An Extra Bee Feeder
Even though beekeepers usually prefer to see their bees create food for themselves, they usually need to provide sustenance at some point or another. Most beekeepers own bee feeders for exactly that purpose. However, just like with hive tools, it can be useful to have another one on hand.
Most containers can hold half a gallon of liquid. Friends who want to go the extra mile can purchase whole gallon bee feeders as well.
8. Spacers for Honey Boxes
Spacers are a unique, extremely helpful tools for beekeepers. They are not well known, so this gift may come as an exciting surprise to the beekeeper in your life. They will be shocked to see the massive impact spacers can leave.
Spacers make even gaps in the frames of honey boxes. This allows the bees to create extra comb and store more honey for the harvest.
9. Beekeeping Attire
Some beekeepers wear a full suit to keep themselves protected from bees and their stingers. Other beekeepers prefer just to wear a hat and veil. Find out the beekeeper’s preference and give them the latest and greatest in beekeeping fashion.
10. Swag
Beekeepers, perhaps more than most hobbyists and professionals, like to show off their interests with what they wear. If you are looking for a simple item that will put a smile on your beekeeper’s face, consider getting them a hat or a t-shirt that predominantly displays their fascination with bees and beekeeping.
Conclusion
When it comes to shopping for beekeepers, it’s helpful to know that there are so many options. At the same time, however, that can make pinning down one gift much more difficult. Hopefully, this article has provided some guidance. Also, if you want bee nucs for sale online, check out The B Farm.
