How does a honey extractor remove honey from honeycomb?

In the context of beekeeping, a honey extractor is a piece of equipment that removes honey from honeycomb using centrifugal force.1

The process of extracting liquid honey involves several steps:

• Preparation: Once the bees have evaporated the water from the nectar and sealed the honey within the cells of the comb, the beekeeper removes the combs from the hive.2
• Uncapping: The beekeeper uses an uncapping knife to open the wax-sealed cells of the honeycomb.21
• Extraction: The uncapped frames are placed into the extractor, which spins them at high speeds. This centrifuging action forces the honey out of the cells.1
• Processing: After extraction, the honey is typically heated to approximately 140 °F (60 °C) to thin the liquid and destroy yeasts that could lead to fermentation. Finally, it is strained to remove any remaining wax particles or pollen grains before being cooled and packaged.2