After maintaining and caring for the beehive, you can enjoy the results when harvesting and tasting honey. Harvesting honey may seem like a hassle, but by taking the right precautions and following each step properly, the results will be worth the effort.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Part One: Retrieval of the Honeycomb
Step 1. Determine the right time to harvest
On a clear day, most of the bees will forage between 09.00-16.00. Harvest honey during this time, so there will naturally be fewer bees for you to deal with.
- Season also greatly affects the yield and quality of the honey harvest. The bee will stop producing honey and providing food for the queen in late summer and early fall, so most of the space in the beehive will be left empty. Thus, you should harvest honey beforehand.
- Harvest two to three weeks after the main nectar has drained the honey. You can ask a professional beekeeper near you to be sure. You can also determine this yourself by weighing the beehive every night during midsummer. The main nectar begins to secrete honey when the beehive reaches its heaviest weight.
Step 2. Wear protective clothing
There is nothing you can do to prevent the bees from attacking when you take the hive. It is recommended that you wear beekeeper protective clothing before harvesting honey.
- At the very least, make sure you wear thick gloves up to the elbows, a hooded hat, and bee-resistant overalls. You should also wear long sleeves and long pants.
- If you're serious about beekeeping, you'll need to purchase professional beekeeping clothing.
Step 3. Repel the bees with smoke
Turn on the smoker and aim it behind the beehive. Blow smoke around the honeycomb cover, then open the top and blow smoke into it.
- This will cause the bees to move to the bottom and away from the top of the hive.
- Basically, a smoker is just a can of newsprint. Burn the newspaper to produce smoke, and blow the smoke through the holes.
- When a beehive is exposed to smoke, the bees will react as if the hive is on fire. The bee will wet its body with honey and become weak, so it moves to the bottom of the hive and does not fight much.
- Exhale as little smoke as you need. Smoke can affect the taste of honey, so if you continue to blow smoke toward the hive after most of the bees have gathered at the bottom, the taste of the resulting honey will be spoiled.
Step 4. Open the beehive
Use a tool to lift the honeycomb's inner cover. This tool is similar to a small crowbar. Slip it under the cover and press it so that it lifts up.
Bees coat the ends of their beehives with a resin-like material known as propolis. This layer is quite strong, so you will not be able to lift the inner cover without using special tools
Step 5. Remove the bee from the hive
There may still be a few bees stuck around the frame of the hive you want to retrieve. One of the safest ways to get rid of these bees is to use a small gas blower or an electronic air blower.
- If you don't have an air blower, use a special "bee brush" to remove bees from the hive frame. However, using a bee brush is quite risky, because it can scare the bees so they can easily attack you or other people around them.
- If a bee is trapped in the honey and you can't get rid of it, you'll need to remove it by hand.
Step 6. Open the beehive
The beeswax keeps the honeycomb attached to the frame. Use a knife, fork, or a dull butter knife to peel off the wax and expose both sides of the honeycomb frame.
If you have a spare frame, you can discard the old frame and open the honeycomb on the outside. Tuck your spare frame into the honeycomb after removing the old frame. This method is generally recommended as it can minimize your exposure to angry bees
Step 7. Move the honeycomb to an enclosed space
If left exposed to the open air, nearby bees will be attracted to the scent of the beehive and will gather there. The bees will try to take and enjoy the honey, as a result the honey extraction process will be more difficult for you to do and the results will be less.
- You should process the beehive immediately after removing it. At that time, the honey was still quite liquid. However, it will start to harden if left unchecked.
- If the honey starts to harden before you can process it, store it in a warm, sunny place to warm it so the honey will melt again.
Method 2 of 4: Part Two: Extracting Honey by Machine
Step 1. Put the honeycomb into the extracting machine
Extraction machines are available in manual or electronic options. On any machine, you must insert the honeycomb frame directly into the tube. Clamp the honeycomb frame to keep it from shifting.
The exact way to insert the honeycomb into the extractor machine differs from one machine model to another. Be sure to follow the instructions according to the model of machine you are using, or understand how it works
Step 2. Rotate the honeycomb frame
Press the engine by hand or start it and let the motor run. As the machine rotates the honeycomb frame, the honey will flow down the tube wall. From there, the honey will flow down gradually.
Step 3. Strain the honey using a cheese cloth
Place several layers of cheesecloth on top of the honey collection bucket, and place the bucket under the funnel of the extraction machine. Open the funnel and let the honey filter through the cheesecloth.
- This filtering process will separate the honeycomb debris, wax, or other impurities that entered during the extraction process.
- The honey extraction and filtering process may take several hours, so be patient.
Method 3 of 4: Part Three: Extracting Honey without a Machine
Step 1. Put the honeycomb into a large bucket
If you haven't removed the honeycomb from the frame, remove it now. Break the honeycomb into small pieces so it can fit into the bucket.
You can usually break the beehive by hand in this step
Step 2. Press the honeycomb until smooth
Use a large mortar to grind the honeycomb until it is soft. The beehive should be fine enough that you can't pick up the pieces by hand.
Step 3. Strain the honey
Place a sieve, nylon mesh bag, or several layers of cheesecloth over the bucket of beehives. Pour the mashed honeycomb into a sieve and allow the honey to gradually separate and flow into the bucket below.
- Note that this step may take several hours.
- If you want to speed up this step, use your hands to refinish the crushed honeycomb and place it on a sieve. However, this method can be very messy, and still take a long time.
- Some of the beehives that have been destroyed may not be able to drain into the bucket on their own. If this happens, you will need to use a scraper to remove the fine honeycomb that is still stuck to the sides and edges of the bucket.
Method 4 of 4: Part Four: Packaging Honey
Step 1. Sterilize the container
Wash the jars or bottles you will be using with hot, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and dry.
- Use a plastic or glass container.
- Even if the container has never been used, you should still clean it thoroughly to avoid contaminating the honey.
Step 2. Put the honey in the bottle
Spoon the honey through the funnel into the jar you have prepared. Cover the jar or bottle with an airtight lid.
Keep the honey in the jar for a few days after it's packed. Any impurities still in the honey will rise to the surface of the jar in two or three days. Remove impurities and close the jar tightly for long-term storage
Step 3. Save and enjoy the honey
Natural organic honey can usually be stored for months at room temperature as long as the container is tightly closed.
The amount of honey you produce is determined by the size of the beehive, the health of the bees, and the season you harvest, as well as the success of the harvest season as a whole. However, under ideal conditions, you can produce about 1.6 kg of honey from one hive
Tips
If possible, pay attention to expert beekeepers when harvesting honey before you attempt to harvest honey yourself
Warning
- Don't harvest "green honey". This type of honey is actually open nectar that has not been cleaned or ripened by bees. It has high humidity and is often a breeding ground for mold, so it is generally considered unsafe for consumption.
- Never harvest honey if you are allergic or may be allergic to bee stings.
- Make sure all tools and machines you use are clean before coming into contact with honey.
