While we’re sure the bee lover in your life will always be grateful for another pot of artisan honey, why not think outside the box with a bee-themed gift instead?
From clothing and accessories to useful everyday products, these gift ideas celebrate the iconic form of nature’s best loved insect. Many of the brands involved also support bee charities too, so you can give back to the bees in the process of giving to your bee-loved.
For more gifts for the nature lovers in your life, check out our articles on wildlife-themed gifts for children, gifts for animal lovers, wildlife-themed stocking fillers for £12 or under, and best gifts for wildlife gardeners.
Best gifts for bee lovers
Bee Thirst Aid Kit
This elegant keyring is more than meets the eye: unscrew its little capsule and you’ll find a few drops of Invertbee, a mixture of fructose and glucose commonly used to feed beehives over the winter. So the next time you spot an exhausted bee, you’ll be well equipped to come to the rescue: simply offer it a drink from the capsule and it should it be good to go in no time.
The keyring is available in gold, silver or black and you can purchase a bottle of refill revival syrup separately (the company recommend replacing the contents every 12 months).
Hive game
Protect your queen bee whilst trying to surround your opponent’s queen bee in this addictive and fun two-player game. Each type of insect and invertebrate has its own rules for movement, and there's a balance to be found between attack and defence. It’s a neat little game, consisting of 11 tiles for each player and comes with its own travel bag.
Read our full review of Hive, and discover more wildlife-themed board games.
Reviewed by Megan Shersby.
‘Bjorn Bee’ Pom Pom Craft Kit
- Buy now from The Make Arcade (£12.00).
This bumblebee kit was my first attempt at making a pom-pom, and I must admit it went wrong the first time! Fortunately there was enough yarn to make another one, and with perseverance and better attention paid to the instructions, I ended up with a very cute bumblebee!
Interested in more craft kits? Check out our reviews of wildlife-themed embroidery kits and wildlife-themed cross-stitch kits.
Reviewed by Megan Shersby.
Proworks bee-themed stainless steel water bottle
Help the bees (and the rest of the animal kingdom too) by switching away from single-use plastic bottles and coffee cups and buying one of these bee-themed vacuum-insulated steel flasks instead. The BPA-free bottle will keep drinks cold for 24 hours or hot for 12 hours and is available in five sizes, from 350ml to 1.5l, ideal if you need a bottle for each member of the family. Perfect for picnics, hikes, exercise or just the commute. Purchase with the Proworks bottle holder with carabiner clip for an easy way of attaching to your bag when on the go.
Signature Bee Embroidered Sweatshirt
- Buy now from Wolf & Badger (£120.00).
Shout about your love of all things bee with this statement sweatshirt from independent London-based ethical brand Gung Ho. Lightweight enough to wear all year round, it’s a classic that will go with almost everything else in your wardrobe. Made from 85 per cent organic Indian cotton and 15 per cent recycled polyester, the sweatshirt is manufactured in Bangladesh at a Fairwear Foundation-certified factory and then embroidered in the UK. With every purchase, Gung Ho donate £5 to a charity working with endangered British bees.
Alex Monroe Jewellery Gold Plate Bumblebee Necklace
British jewellery designer Alex Monroe’s bee pendants have achieved icon status since they first buzzed into our lives over a decade ago. These hand textured beauties are made in England, their design nodding to the bees of Alex Monroe’s Suffolk childhood.
Beloved by celebrities including Emilia Fox, Lily Allen and Holly Willoughby, the necklaces come in silver, gold plate, rose gold plate and, for those with cash to splash (£2,500 to be exact), 18ct yellow gold. Smaller versions of the classic bee design are also available. Other items in the Beehive collection include stud, hoop and drop earrings, rings, bracelets, lockets, pins, cufflinks, broaches and hair pins.
Bee Lovely Nourishing Trio
This gift pack from Neal’s Yard Remedies contains a hand cream (30ml), a body lotion (50ml) and a lip balm (15g), made with moisturising organic beeswax or honey to keep skin soft and smooth, and naturally perfumed with orange essential oil. The honey in the products is fair trade, sourced through an ethical co-operative in Chiapas, southern Mexico.
Perfect for travel or as an introduction to the whole Bee Lovely range, which also includes body butter, bath & shower gel, all over balm and hand wash. Three per cent of the sales of the Bee Lovely range go towards charities that protect bees, so you’re helping our buzzy friends as well as yourself, with every purchase.
Bee Wheat Bag
- Buy now from National Bee Supplies (13.95).
Snuggle up when the weather gets cold or soothe away aches and pains, with this microwaveable bee-themed wheat bag. Choose between unscented, which comes in a dual-material bag, one half bee-print cotton, one half fleece, and English lavender, which comes in two-sided blue bee-print cotton. Both are filled with cleaned English wheat that will hold its heat after microwaving for up to 2 minutes at 500-1,000 watts. These wheat bags can also be chilled in a fridge or freezer for use on sprains.
RSPB Solitary bee house with wildflower seeds
Made in the UK from FSC-certified pine timber, this bee hotel has removable nesting trays, should you wish to inspect or to clean out your bee hotel. The roof is overhanging, to protect bees from the rain, and is painted with non-toxic paint in a sage green colour to match the garden bird nestboxes range.
There are two sizes of hole – 8mm and 10mm, for red mason and leafcutter bees, and they have a depth of 15cm.
This bee hotel comes with a pack of the RSPB's ‘Best for bees’ wildflower seeds with the typical mix including Cornflower, Borage, Echium 'Blue Bedder' and everyone's favourite the Poppy.
We named it one of the best bee hotels to buy
Frugi Cream Organic Cotton Buzzy Bee 3 Piece Gift Set
- Buy now from Next (£29.00), My Little Green Wardrobe (£29.00) and Babipur (£25.00)
This adorable set of bee-print baby clothes – which includes a short-sleeved vest, long-sleeved babygrow, hat and drawstring bag – is available in four sizes, ranging from newborn to 6-12 months. The babygrow has poppers all the way up the legs for easy nappy changing, as well as fold-back scratch mitts, and the vest has an envelope neckline for easy removal. All items are made from fairly-traded organic Indian cotton.
Frugi is a British brand, based in Cornwall and committed to ethical kids fashion, including ensuring that all workers and their families have access to a GP for free. Frugi gives 1 per cent of its annual turnover to charity each year.