What's love got to do with it? | Valentine’s Day at HiveTracks

Hello, little Love-Bees,

So, Valentine's Day, huh? A day introduced in 469 by Pope Gelasius as a memorial day for St. Valentine has been an important day for the consumer society for generations. A day on which one can show their beloved how much one appreciates and loves the other.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with attention in the form of flowers or other typical gifts on this day, but this year HiveTracks is going a different way: Valentines Day has particular meaning for pollinators and beekeepers alike.

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Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century Roman saint commemorated in Christianity on February 14, 296. From the High Middle Ages, his Saint’s Day has been associated with a tradition of courtly love. He is also a patron saint of the Italian city of Terni, epilepsy and most importantly: Beekeepers — providing both protection for beekeepers themselves and for the sweetness of their honey.

Throughout history, honey and bees have often been associated with love. Myths from ancient Egypt and Greece highlight bees' big romantic effect on humans—from cupid dipping his arrows in honey to the sun god Ra's tears becoming bees and helping him woo back his lost love.

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In some wedding traditions, couples walk through a swarm of bees—if not stung, their love is meant to be. And honey is thought by many to be a powerful "love potion," encouraging feelings of attraction and romance.

Keeping bees is a special calling- it requires scientific know-how and a kind and gentle heart. By managing their hives and caring for their bees, beekeepers ensure that their bee colonies flourish and the honey continues its sweet flow. Bees symbolize love, and beekeepers, therefore, represent the protection of love, marriage and family.

Some ways to celebrate this day as a beekeeper or someone who just loves bees and honey:

1. Buying Seeds instead of Bouquets (planting for honey bees and other pollinators)

2. Make Your Own Bee Valentines

3. Or simply buy some bee-related artwork

4. Honey Bath Bombs and skin care for your Beekeeper's Hands

5. Honey tasting

6. Volunteer to Show Love or help making your neighborhood more bee-friend

7. Gift Beeswax Wraps

8. Giving a donation in someone's honor

Everything is hinged on love. So that’s what love’s got to do with it!

More on Valentine’s Day and bees:

Saint Valentine- Patron Saint of Beekeepers and Lovers

Saint Valentine & His Beekeeping Patronage

Video: Saint Valentine the Patron Saint of Beekeeping!