Honey in Ark: Survival Evolved is a vital resource that fuels late-game industrialization, providing the sweet incentive needed to tame some of the most powerful creatures in the game. Beyond its use in Kibble for creatures like the Rock Drake and Phoenix, this viscous substance is essential for crafting advanced items such as Fabricated Parts and even basic ammunition for the Gatling Gun. Understanding how to get honey efficiently is a cornerstone of mastering the endgame, though it requires careful preparation due to the aggressive nature of its guardians.
Locating the Honey Source
To begin your honey-gathering journey, you must first identify the source: Bee Hives. These large, hanging structures are typically found in a variety of environments, but they are most commonly nestled in the trees of the Redwood Forest and the dense foliage of the Jungle. Visually, they resemble oversized, hanging grey bubbles or cocoons, often swarming with furious Honey Bees. Mapping these locations on your minimap is the critical first step before you ever set foot near one.
Preparation and Gear
Essential Equipment
Approaching a beehive without the right gear is a guaranteed death sentence, as the Honey Bees deal significant damage and can quickly swarm you. You will need specific protective and harvesting items to proceed safely:
Armor: At minimum, a full set of Hide Armor or better. For high-level hives, consider crafting a full set of Chitin Armor, which provides the necessary resistance to insect damage.
Weapon: A Longneck Rifle or Pump-Action Shotgun is highly recommended. Stunning the bees is necessary to interrupt their attack animations and create safe windows for harvesting.
Harvesting Tool: a Metal Pickaxe is required to break the hive, though using a tool with the "Gather Range" engram can sometimes allow you to collect without destroying it.
Inventory Management: bring a Beekeeper Hat, which drastically reduces incoming damage from the insects, and plenty of medkits or Stimberries.
Optional but Recommended
For the most efficient and risk-free operations, advanced players utilize specific strategies. Using a tamed giant bee or a Pulmonoscorpius (Scorched Earth) can tank the hits for you while you harvest. Alternatively, bringing a creature with the "Honey Pot" ability, like a Bee or a Pulmonoscorpius, allows you to harvest without provoking the hive at all, though this method is more complex.
The Harvesting Process
Once geared up and positioned near the target hive, the process is straightforward but tense. Use your Metal Pickaxe on the hive to break it, which will trigger the attack. Immediately engage the bees with your weapon, focusing on stunning them rather than just dealing damage to the hive. As soon as the attack animation pauses, quickly use the interaction button to gather the Honeycomb. You will usually need to repeat this "stun-gather" cycle a few times until the hive is empty, as breaking it outright will destroy the contents and yield nothing.
Alternative Methods: The Bee Box
Taming and Farming
For players who wish to avoid the constant combat, taming a bee offers a sustainable solution. Using a Beekeeper Hat, approach a giant bee (found in the same biomes) and feed it Rare Mushroom or Kibble to begin the taming process. Once tamed, place the bee inside a Bee Box, a structure crafted using 100 chitin. The box will slowly generate Honeycombs over time, which you can harvest manually by interacting with the box, provided you wear the Beekeeper Hat to avoid retaliation. This method eliminates the need to repeatedly fight wild hives.
