The PerfectBee Guide to....
Harvesting Honey
Honey is a miraculous substance, with amazing qualities. But equally fascinating is how our bees put so much effort into creating honey. Therefore, the harvesting of honey should be conducted with care and respect for our bees.
1. When do you know when honey is ready to harvest?
Keep in mind that the beautiful honey we see in our hives is created by our bees, for our bees.
Yet when there is a surplus, we humans potentially have a sweet treat in store. So, how do we know that we can take our share?
Flower to toast. What's involved in harvesting honey?How do I know when honey is ready to harvest from my hive? When is honey capped and why does it matter for harvesting?Can I harvest honey in a hive's first year?When is the best time of day and year to harvest honey?What happens if I harvest honey too early or too late?
2. What preperation and tools are needed to harvest honey?
A little prep and the right equipment can go a long way.
Planning your honey harvesting and using good tools can both simplify and streamline the process.
3. How can I harvest honey from my hives?
What are the options in actually getting the honey harvesting done?
From clearing of the bees, removal of frames from the hive, uncapping and extraction, you have options at every step.
Should I feed my bees after harvesting their honey?How do I know if my bees are stressed after honey harvest?How do I prepare honey frames and supers for clean extraction?What are the different ways to extract honey from the comb?How do you extract honey from a few frames using crush and strain?How do you extract honey from many frames using an extractor?How do I strain raw honey to remove wax and debris?How do you extract honey from many frames using an extractor?What should I do with honey frames after extraction?How do I clean a honey extractor and harvesting equipment?
4. What should I do after extracting honey?
You have extracted your sweet reward! What's next?
There's bottling and the care of honey and potentially even selling your honey.