Click to enlarge
The Beekeeper
A yellow duck in a white protective suit with a tiny mesh veil. Novelty duck for beekeepers and nature lovers.
Specifications
| Material | Vinyl (PVC) body, mesh fabric veil, molded suit detailing |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 3.6 x 3.4 x 3.9 in |
| Weight | 2.3 oz |
| Color | White suit, yellow face visible through mesh veil |
| Age Grade | 3+ years. Veil is decorative mesh, not intended to contain actual bees. We cannot stress this enough. |
| Origin | Designed on Vashon Island, WA · Assembled overseas |
| Care Instructions | Spot clean veil only. Suit is molded vinyl, wipe clean. |
The Full Story
The Beekeeper began, somewhat improbably, as a genuine workplace wellness initiative. In the early 2010s, someone in HR proposed installing a small rooftop apiary at the original office as a team bonding and sustainability project. The apiary was installed. The bonding was, by most internal accounts, more stressful than intended, as approximately zero employees had beekeeping experience and at least one early hive inspection ended with several people sprinting back inside the building at considerable speed.
The design team, watching this unfold from the window, found the whole spectacle funnier than perhaps the situation warranted, and the Beekeeper duck was sketched within the week, mesh veil and all. The actual rooftop bees, we're pleased to report, are still there, now tended by a properly trained beekeeping contractor rather than enthusiastic amateurs, and the honey is occasionally given out as a holiday gift to senior staff, in jars featuring, appropriately, a small illustration of this exact duck.
We are asked with some frequency whether the veil mesh is fine enough to actually keep bees out. It is not tested for this purpose and we would very much like to formally, permanently discourage anyone from finding out themselves.
You Might Also Like
Customer Reviews
He keeps actual bees and thought this was hilarious, now sits on his workbench in the shed with his real gear.
The mesh veil is a nice touch, adds texture without looking flimsy. Solid piece overall.
Exactly as described, happy with the purchase.
Unfortunately the mesh caught on something in a drawer and tore a small hole. Wish it were a slightly more durable fabric given how delicate it turned out to be.
Read the history section about the actual rooftop bee incident and I have to say, the commitment to backstory here rivals actual novels I've read. Whether any of it is true is almost beside the point. Great duck, great story, would buy again purely for the entertainment value of the product page.
Saw the mention of honey in the description and assumed there'd be a little sample jar included. There is not, that's just a story about the company's actual office bees. Kind of a letdown, though I acknowledge in hindsight this was a stretch on my part.