Open Source Content Management

Cut Comb Honey

You might want something that is more simple than the honey extraction method we just saw. Cut comb consists of honey-filled combs cut and packaged and is an alternative to honey extraction. It is easier to produce than section comb honey. Cut comb honey can be produced in regular frames or top-bar hives.

What You'll Need

If using foundation sheets when producing cut comb honey, they should be:

• The thin, unwired type
• Wax, not plastic

Cut comb honey cannot be produced with plastic foundations. Special thin top-bar frames for Langstroth hives are sold just for cut comb honey, but they are not required.

The Process

To produce honey combs for sale as cut comb honey:

1.  Fill shallow supers with frames.

2.   Place the shallow supers on the hive.

Place them either over a full super of honey and the brood box to prevent brood production in them, OR

Place them over a queen excluder:  move at least one frame of open nectar into the box of foundation to encourage bees to move into the super.

3. Remove the frame. As soon as the bees cap the comb, you should remove the frame from the hive to limit honey bee foot traffic over the combs and thereby keep the white cappings from turning dark.

4. Cut the combs. Once you remove the frame, cut the combs out of it and divide them into pieces of the desired size.

5. Drain the honey. After carefully cutting the comb, you should drain the pieces  overnight on a wire rack over a drain pan in a warm room. Be careful when handling the cut comb honey so that all of the cells remain intact.