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 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 my first year of beekeeping?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 preparation and tools are needed to harvest honey?

A little prep and the right equipment goes a long way towards successfully harvesting honey.
Planning your honey harvesting and using effective tools can both simplify and streamline the process.
What equipment and tools do I need to harvest honey?How do I remove bees from honey supers before harvesting honey?Is it safe to harvest honey without a full bee suit?What should I do after removing honey frames?

3. So, how do I actually harvest honey from my hives?

Like many aspects of beekeeping...you have options!
From clearing of the bees, removal of frames from the hive, uncapping and extraction, there are decisions to make.
How do I prepare honey frames and supers for clean extraction?What are the different ways to extract honey from the comb?How do I strain raw honey to remove wax and debris?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 the bottling and care of honey and potentially even selling your honey.
How to prepare your beehives for fall or winter after honey harvesting?Do I need to heat or pasteurize raw honey before bottling it?How do I bottle and store my honey?What do I need to know if I want to sell my honey?