How to Extract Honey From the Comb

Honeybees are insects that create honey, a delicious food that mankind has valued since early times. Beekeepers today raise honeybees in an apiary so that they can collect honey and beeswax more easily. Honeybees produce more honey than they could ever use themselves, and a good beekeeper knows how to work with the honeybees so that there is enough food for both the bees and the people who tend to them. Extracting the honey from the comb lets you collect the honey and eat it.

Things You'll Need

  • Sharp Knife
  • Spoon
  • Gardening gloves
  • Latex gloves
  • Bowl
  • Glass jar
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Instructions

    • 1
      You do not need all the special equipment if you have a small bee apiary.

      Remove the frame from the apiary. This frame will contain both honey and honeycombs and will likely be surrounded by bees. Set the frame down in an area away from the apiary so that the bees will eventually leave the honey and the frame. Wipe away any remaining bees with a gloved finger. Heavy gardener gloves will help prevent you from being stung.

    • 2

      Use a knife and cut the honeycomb away from the frame. Many professionals buy expensive extracting equipment, but for a small time hobbyist a sharp knife will do just as well. Place the honeycomb and the honey into a large clean bowl and replace the frame into the Apiary. Putting the frame back will let the bees start making honeycombs and honey again.

    • 3

      Bring the large bowl of honey and honeycombs into your house. Most people work on extracting the honey from the honeycomb in the kitchen.

    • 4

      Lift the comb onto its side so that it is standing straight up. Use a small spoon or a butte knife and start scraping the honey from the comb. This can be a sticky solution, so wear some latex gloves if you do not want to get to messy. You can buy latex gloves at most of your local drug stores. Once you have scraped as much of the honey as you can out of the comb you can crush the comb with your spoon to get the remainder of the honey out. Pick out any honey comb or other substances that may have entered your honey.

    • 5

      Put the honey in a glass jar. The honey is now ready for you to enjoy.