Finding flowers
Foragers visit nectar-rich flowers and draw up the sugary liquid with their proboscis.
From flower to jar
Honey: a landscape captured by bees
Every jar begins with thousands of visits to flowers. Honey bees gather nectar, transform it and store it as concentrated food for their colony—creating a product whose colour, aroma and texture reflect the season and surrounding countryside.
See how honey is madeMade from nectarcollected from flowers and transformed inside the colony
Food for the beesstored in comb to sustain the colony when flowers are scarce
Naturally variedflavour, colour and texture change with forage and season
Inside the hive
How nectar becomes honey
It is a chain of collection, sharing, chemistry and evaporation carried out by many worker bees.
Carrying nectar home
The nectar is carried in a specialised honey stomach, separate from the bee’s digestive stomach.
Sharing and changing
Back in the colony, nectar is passed between workers. Enzymes begin changing its sugars.
Removing moisture
Bees spread the liquid in wax cells and move air through the hive, helping water evaporate.
Sealing the store
When the honey is sufficiently concentrated, the bees cap the cell with wax until the food is needed.
Responsible beekeeping
Harvesting only the surplus
Honey belongs to the colony first. A responsible beekeeper assesses the bees’ stores and removes only honey that can be spared.
Check the colony
The beekeeper considers colony strength, time of year, available forage and the amount of food the bees need to retain.
Remove ready combs
Frames containing ripe honey are taken from the hive carefully while protecting the bees and keeping the process clean.
Extract and jar
Wax cappings are removed, honey is usually spun from the comb, then strained, settled and put into clean jars.
A poor season may mean little or no harvest. Bee welfare takes priority over filling jars.
Natural character
Why one honey differs from another
Honey is an agricultural product shaped by place and season. Uniformity is not the goal; variation is part of what makes it interesting.
Flowers
Different nectars produce different aromas, colours and flavours. A mixed countryside crop may combine many flowers in one jar.
Weather and season
Temperature, rainfall and flowering times influence which plants yield nectar and when the bees can forage.
Texture
The natural balance of sugars influences whether honey remains runny, develops fine crystals or sets more firmly.
Nothing has gone wrong
Crystallisation is natural
Most honey will crystallise eventually. Some set quickly; others remain liquid for a long time. Crystals can be fine and creamy or larger and more noticeable.
Still perfectly usable
Crystallisation does not mean honey has spoiled. Many people prefer its thicker texture for spreading.
Gently make it runny
Stand the closed jar in warm water and allow it to warm slowly. Avoid boiling or overheating it.
It may set again
Returning to crystals is normal because gentle warming does not permanently change the honey’s natural sugar balance.
Looking after a jar
Simple storage and serving
Honey is easy to keep when it is protected from moisture, contamination and excessive heat.
Store it well
- ✓Keep the lid firmly closed
- ✓Use a cool, dry cupboard
- ✓Follow the label’s best-before guidance
Keep it clean
- ✓Use a clean, dry spoon
- ✓Do not introduce water or food crumbs
- ✓Do not share a used utensil with the jar
Enjoy it in moderation
- ✓Spread on toast or stir into yoghurt
- ✓Use in dressings, marinades and baking
- ✓Remember that honey is high in sugars
Never give honey to a baby under 12 months
NHS guidance says honey should be completely avoided until a baby is 12 months old because it can contain bacteria that may cause infant botulism. Cooking or mixing honey into food does not make it suitable for babies under one.
Claims and common myths
Enjoy honey as food—not as a cure-all
“Local honey cures hay fever”
There is not good clinical evidence that local honey prevents or treats hay fever. Use proven treatments and seek advice from a pharmacist or healthcare professional.
“Natural means sugar-free”
Honey is natural, but it is still predominantly sugars. Enjoy it for its flavour and use it in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
“All honey is medicinal”
Table honey is a food. Medical-grade honey products are specially prepared and regulated; ordinary jarred honey should not be used as a substitute.
Good to know
Common questions about honey
Why has my honey crystallised?
Crystallisation is a natural change in which some of the sugars form crystals. Its speed and texture depend partly on the flowers visited by the bees. It does not mean the honey has spoiled.
Can crystallised honey be made runny again?
Yes. Stand the closed jar in warm water and allow it to warm gently, stirring with a clean, dry spoon if needed. Avoid boiling or overheating it.
Does all honey taste the same?
No. Colour, aroma, flavour and texture vary with the flowers visited, the season, weather, soil and how the honey is handled. Natural variation is part of honey's character.
Does local honey prevent hay fever?
There is not good clinical evidence that eating local honey prevents or treats hay fever. Honey should not replace proven treatments or advice from a pharmacist or healthcare professional.
Can babies eat honey?
No. NHS guidance says honey should be completely avoided until a baby is 12 months old because it can contain bacteria that may cause infant botulism.
Trusted information about honey
For more detail about honey, food standards and infant feeding, use these UK sources.
Curious about the bees behind the jar?
Discover honey-bee colony life and simple ways to help pollinators around Malton.