Honey is the most familiar bee product, but it is far from the only one. To harvest honey, beekeepers typically remove the wax cappings over honey-filled cells using an uncapping tool, then place the frames in a honey extractor, a device that spins the frames so that centrifugal force flings the honey out. A simpler alternative is the crush-and-strain method, in which comb is crushed and the honey is strained through cloth. A typical colony in a temperate climate yields 30 to 60 pounds (15 to 25 kg) of honey per year.
Honey can be sold in many forms. Comb honey is sold still in the comb and commands a premium price, while cut comb is pieces of comb cut from frames. Honey will sometimes crystallize naturally as glucose forms crystals; this is reversible by gentle warming and is not a sign of spoilage. Creamed honey is honey that has been intentionally crystallized to produce a smooth, spreadable texture. Raw honey is unheated and unfiltered, while processed honey may be heated and finely filtered. Varietal honey comes from a specific floral source such as clover, orange blossom, or manuka, the last of which is a New Zealand honey valued for medicinal properties. The science of identifying honey's floral origin by its pollen content is called melissopalynology. Honeydew honey, made from the sweet secretions of aphids on tree leaves, is common in forested regions.
Other products round out the beekeeper's larder. Mead is an alcoholic beverage fermented from honey and is often cited as the oldest known alcoholic drink. Beeswax is widely used in candles, cosmetics, and food preservation. Propolis, the resin bees use to seal cracks, is sold as tinctures for human use. Bee pollen pellets, harvested with pollen traps, and royal jelly are sold as supplements, although the health effects of royal jelly in humans are not definitively proven. When bottling honey, beekeepers typically warm it gently and pour it through a filter into clean jars; labeling usually includes net weight, floral source, and the beekeeper's information.