The different focus for those in beekeeping can generally be categorised by the seasons:
- Autumn is for winding down production and preparing for the colder months.
- Winter is about ensuring your colony is in a wind-free spot with enough feed to get through the season.
- Spring is for inspecting your hives and looking out for swarming before the summer honey extraction can begin.
Whether this is your first summer as a beekeeper or you are a seasoned pro, preparation is key to success. So, we have put together this handy guide with tips and reminders to ensure you get the most from your colony this extraction season while also keeping your bees healthy, comfortable and in good care.
Before you get started
Patience is a virtue in beekeeping, especially when it comes to honey extraction. Before you begin, it’s crucial to ensure that at least 80% of the cells have been sealed with capped honey. A simple test is to gently shake one of your frames upside down: if any honey drips out, then your cells aren’t capped, and you’re not ready for extraction. Remember, extracting too early can lead to high moisture content which can lead to the honey fermenting. Make sure you take your time and ensure the conditions are just right.
A key reminder:
Leave enough honey for your bees to sustain themselves during any upcoming periods of low nectar flow.
What you need
Being prepared means having the right tools for the job. For a successful honey extraction, you should have the following:
- Uncapping knife or uncapping fork
- Strainer or honey filter bag
- Storage containers like buckets and jars
- You could also consider investing in a manual or electric honey extractor, which can simplify the process. Check out our wide range of honey extraction tools here.
How to extract
- Make sure your bees are calm and not stressed by using a smoker to lower their defensiveness.
- Use your hive tool to loosen the frames then remove them from the box.
- Uncap the frames using your uncapping knife or scraper to take off the wax layer sealing the honeycomb. (Handy tip: An uncapping bench or bucket can help streamline this step)
- Extract the honey using a centrifugal extractor. You can do this with either a manual or electric model; regardless of the size of your operation, an electric model will save you a lot of hand cranking. Check out our electric and manual versions.
- Filter your honey by running it through your strainer or filter bag. Your honey will contain small pieces of wax and debris, which is totally normal.
- Harvest the beeswax. One of the best byproducts in any natural production is beeswax. You can melt the beeswax in a melting pot (either a small unit or a commercial-grade unit).
- Package your sweet, sweet honey. Always sterilise your containers before packing, and once done, your honey is ready to be shared and enjoyed.
Key Reminder:
If you plan to sell your honey you will need to ensure that its packing includes labelling requirements and the process meets food safety procedures for your state. WA, SA, VIC, NT, NSW, QLD, TAS
Having the right equipment and guidance before extracting honey should make the process a breeze. You should also take a moment to appreciate your hard work in caring for an essential element of our natural environment and harvesting such a sweet prize in the process.
Happy Harvesting!