How Honey is Made

How Honey is Made

Here’s a breakdown on the process of how raw honey is made by honey bees from the obtaining of nectar through the pollination of flowers.

Bees Collect Nectar

The process of making raw honey starts once bees collect flower nectar before they return to the hive. This nectar collection process is referred to as flower pollination. Once the honey bee returns to the hive, the game of bee “tag” begins. Here, both nectar and honey are passed between the honey bees. This second process is where complex sugars are processed into simple sugars. The result is the storing of simple sugars being stored inside the honeycomb. 

The design of the honeycomb and constant fanning of the bees’ wings causes evaporation, creating sweet liquid honey. Honey’s color and flavor varies based on the nectar collected by the bees. For example, honey made from orange blossom nectar might be light in color, whereas honey from avocado or wildflowers might have a darker amber color.

Reducing Moisture via Capping

Moisture reduction occurs after the nectar has been fully transformed into it’s final honey status. The final step is when bees cap the honey within comb hexagons where the honey is stored. The capping process is essential to keep the honey moisture level low. Capping reduces the honey moisture level down to 15-18%. Raw honey normally contains trace amounts of pollen and small particles of wax and royal jelly.

Honey thieves, or pirates, are persons known for stealing honey. Sadly, the theft typically takes place before honeycombs have been fully capped. The problem with uncapped honey is that the moisture level often exceeds 20% and is subject to undesired fermentation.

Honey is Hard Work For All Involved

One pound of honey is typically made by 10,000 bees how travel about 75,000 miles and pollinate up to 8 million flowers. Bees are very methodically and not random. When bees learn of floral sources, they communicate this back to the other bees in the hive. This communication and precise GPS system bees use is interesting and unique and explains how the bees locate excellent floral sources.

Beehive honey feeds the bees and brood. Bee brood refers to the eggs, larvae and pupae of honeybees. Honey not left for the bees or brood is subsequently extracted by beekeepers. The process is called extraction. The raw honey is then settled and strained, with minimal or no add heat (honey that has been “minimally processed” is often labeled as raw honey).

The honey story is not complete without a discussion on the bees magnificent, yet curious, navigation system. Karl Von Frisch documented the bees waggle dance the honey bees conduct to communicate to the other hive bees where the flowers are. To learn more about the waggle dance, please click here to watch this educational video.

Replace Sugar With Raw Honey

Honey fights premature signs of aging and helps regulate blood pressure because its super high enzyme count promotes digestive health. It also provides a natural energy boost with high nutritional value. Honey is also uniquely qualified as a complete substitute for raw sugar.

Enjoy the great taste of raw, unfiltered honey and benefit from this excellent nutrition while supporting American bee-keepers. Contrast the many benefits of pure honey with processed sugars which play a major role in the development of chronic diseases, mood disorders, lower immune function and weight gain, while adding no nutritional value.

Built by Bees raw honey varieties are unprocessed and strained at 600 microns, and 100% direct from the hive. Built by Bees offers a variety of raw honeys here you can visit.

Enjoy raw honey as part of your daily diet.<!—Savannah bee company sells honey—>