How to Get Honeycombs out of Honey

A beekeeper inspects a honeycomb frame over an extractor.

Honey is made from the nectar gathered by bees. It's placed in the honeycomb cells where bee larva grow into adult bees. Professional beekeepers encourage bees to form honeycomb on supers, which are long frames made for honey comb. When a super is ready for processing, the keeper removes it, uncaps it - cutting off the glue-like substance bees put over the frame - and spins the honey using the extractor. This removes honey from the honeycomb. Some chunks of honeycomb will fall into the honey when it is spun. Removing these chunks is a simple process.

Things You'll Need

• Scraping knife
• Honeycomb frames
• Extractor
• Honey filtering device
• Dispensing tank
• Tongs
• Storage bin or jars

Instructions

1. Scrape the gluey white substance off of the surface of the honeycomb frames with your knife. Inspect the honeycomb for any rotten sections - cut these off and throw away.

2. Insert the frame onto the extractor, and turn on the extractor. Let it run through a cycle of spinning honey out of the honeycomb frame.

3. Turn the extractor off and remove the frame. The honeycomb left on the frame should be returned to the bee box so the bees can continue to use it.

4. Strain the honey through a filtering device or a nylon strainer into a dispensing tank. Heating the honey speeds up this process.

5. Pick out any sizeable chunks of honeycomb that remain after the filtration process with your tongs. Place these in jars or storage bins to consume separately or with the honey.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a fork to pull a honeycomb out of a jar of honey if you bought honey with a honeycomb in it. Heating the honeycomb lightly will separate out any honey inside it.

• Honeycomb can be spread on hot bread for a tasty snack.

References

• GPNC: Honeybee
• Queen Bee Jan: Honey