What is the best way to gather honey in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Gathering honey in ARK: Survival Evolved is an essential task for crafting recipes like Sweet Vegetable Cake, which is used to heal tamed creatures, or for taming certain creatures like the Dire Bear. Honey is primarily obtained from wild beehives, which are found in specific locations across the maps. The process involves careful preparation and execution to avoid the aggressive bees that guard the hives. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to gather honey effectively.

First, you need to locate a wild beehive. These are typically found in forested areas, often attached to large redwood trees on maps like The Island, The Center, or Ragnarok. On other maps, they may appear in different biomes, so exploration is key. Wild beehives are easily identifiable by their hexagonal shape and the buzzing sound they emit. Once you find one, youÔÇÖll need to prepare for the next steps.

To gather honey, you must first deal with the bees that protect the hive. Bees are aggressive and will swarm you if you get too close or damage the hive. One of the most effective ways to handle this is by wearing a full set of Ghillie Armor, which reduces your detection range by creatures, including bees. Additionally, carrying Bug Repellent can help keep the bees at bay. If you donÔÇÖt have these items, you can use ranged weapons like a Crossbow or Longneck Rifle to destroy the hive from a distance, but this will anger the bees and cause them to attack.

Once the hive is destroyed, you can collect the honey. However, this method is inefficient because it only yields a small amount of honey and destroys the hive permanently. A better long-term strategy is to tame a Giant Bee and create your own hive. To do this, youÔÇÖll need to find a Giant Bee Queen, which spawns near wild beehives. Use Bug Repellent and Ghillie Armor to approach the hive without aggroing the bees. Once youÔÇÖre close, you can use Rare Flowers to lure the Queen out. Be prepared to quickly tranquilize her with a Crossbow and Tranquilizer Arrows or a Longneck Rifle with Tranquilizer Darts. Once sheÔÇÖs unconscious, place Rare Flowers in her inventory to tame her.

After taming the Giant Bee Queen, you can place her in a Bee Hive structure, which you can craft using the required resources. The Bee Hive will produce honey over time, and you can collect it without angering the bees. To optimize honey production, place the hive in a safe location near your base, preferably in a greenhouse or near flowers, as this increases the production rate. YouÔÇÖll need to regularly check the hive and collect the honey before it spoils, as honey has a limited shelf life.

When gathering honey from wild hives, itÔÇÖs important to avoid common mistakes. One mistake is approaching the hive without proper preparation, such as lacking Ghillie Armor or Bug Repellent, which can result in being swarmed and killed by bees. Another mistake is destroying the hive instead of taming the Giant Bee Queen, which limits your ability to gather honey sustainably. Additionally, failing to monitor your Bee HiveÔÇÖs honey production can lead to spoilage, wasting valuable resources.

For advanced players, consider using tamed creatures to assist in honey gathering. A Dire Bear is particularly useful because it has a passive ability that reduces the weight of honey in its inventory and can gather honey directly from wild hives without aggroing the bees. This makes the Dire Bear an excellent companion for honey farming. Additionally, if youÔÇÖre playing in a tribe, coordinate with your teammates to assign roles for honey collection and hive maintenance, ensuring a steady supply of honey for crafting and taming.

In summary, gathering honey in ARK: Survival Evolved requires careful planning and execution. Whether youÔÇÖre collecting honey from wild hives or maintaining your own Bee Hive, preparation is key. Use Ghillie Armor and Bug Repellent to avoid bee attacks, tame a Giant Bee Queen for sustainable honey production, and consider using a Dire Bear for efficient gathering. Avoid common mistakes like destroying hives or neglecting your Bee Hive, and optimize your setup for long-term success. With these strategies, youÔÇÖll have a reliable source of honey for all your crafting and taming needs.