What are the best ways to gather honey for advanced base building in ARK: Survival Evolved?
Gathering honey in ARK: Survival Evolved is essential for advanced base building, as it is used in crafting recipes like Sweet Vegetable Cake, which is crucial for healing tamed creatures, and for creating certain structures or items. Honey is primarily obtained from wild beehives, which are found in specific locations across the map. To gather honey efficiently, you need to understand the mechanics, prepare properly, and use the right strategies.
First, you need to locate wild beehives. These are typically found in redwood forests, on cliffs, or in certain caves. Be cautious when approaching a beehive, as it is guarded by aggressive giant bees. If you get too close without proper preparation, the bees will attack, and their stings can cause torpor, which can knock you out if not managed. To safely gather honey, you need to wear a full set of Ghillie Armor, which reduces your detection range by creatures, including bees. Alternatively, you can use Bug Repellant to further decrease your chances of being detected. However, even with these precautions, it is best to approach the hive carefully and avoid lingering too long.
Once you are near the hive, you can interact with it to collect honey. However, you will need a tool to do this. The most efficient tool for gathering honey is a Dire Bear, as it has a passive ability to collect honey from hives without aggroing the bees. If you do not have a Dire Bear, you can use a Metal Pick or a Chainsaw, but these methods will aggro the bees, so you must be prepared to fight or flee. When using a Dire Bear, simply approach the hive and press the interaction button to collect honey. The bear can carry a large amount of honey, making it ideal for multiple trips.
If you are gathering honey without a Dire Bear, you will need to deal with the bees. One strategy is to use a ranged weapon like a Crossbow or Longneck Rifle to destroy the hive from a distance. This will cause the bees to swarm, but you can kill them before they reach you. Once the hive is destroyed, you can collect the honey that drops. However, this method is less efficient, as the hive will take time to respawn, and you will need to repeat the process.
Another advanced technique is to tame a giant bee and create your own beehive. To do this, you need to find a wild queen bee, which can be obtained by destroying a wild beehive. Once you have the queen bee, you can place it in a crafted beehive at your base. The beehive will produce honey over time, and you can collect it without the risk of bee attacks. To craft a beehive, you need resources like wood, thatch, fiber, and rare flowers. This method is highly efficient for long-term honey production, as you do not need to venture into dangerous areas to gather honey.
When gathering honey, it is important to manage your inventory and resources. Honey spoils quickly, so you should store it in a preserving bin or refrigerator to extend its shelf life. If you are playing solo, you may need to make multiple trips to gather enough honey for your needs. In a tribe, you can assign roles, with one player gathering honey while others defend or manage resources. Communication and coordination are key to efficient honey gathering in a tribe setting.
Common mistakes to avoid include approaching a beehive without proper protection, which can lead to being swarmed and knocked out. Another mistake is not having enough storage for honey, as it spoils quickly and can be wasted. Additionally, destroying too many wild hives can deplete the local honey supply, making it harder to gather in the future. To optimize your honey gathering, always use a Dire Bear if possible, and consider taming a queen bee to create your own beehive.
In summary, gathering honey in ARK: Survival Evolved requires careful preparation and strategy. Whether you are using a Dire Bear, ranged weapons, or taming a queen bee, understanding the mechanics and planning ahead will ensure you have a steady supply of honey for advanced base building and crafting. Always prioritize safety, manage your resources efficiently, and consider long-term solutions like crafting your own beehive to maximize your honey production.
First, you need to locate wild beehives. These are typically found in redwood forests, on cliffs, or in certain caves. Be cautious when approaching a beehive, as it is guarded by aggressive giant bees. If you get too close without proper preparation, the bees will attack, and their stings can cause torpor, which can knock you out if not managed. To safely gather honey, you need to wear a full set of Ghillie Armor, which reduces your detection range by creatures, including bees. Alternatively, you can use Bug Repellant to further decrease your chances of being detected. However, even with these precautions, it is best to approach the hive carefully and avoid lingering too long.
Once you are near the hive, you can interact with it to collect honey. However, you will need a tool to do this. The most efficient tool for gathering honey is a Dire Bear, as it has a passive ability to collect honey from hives without aggroing the bees. If you do not have a Dire Bear, you can use a Metal Pick or a Chainsaw, but these methods will aggro the bees, so you must be prepared to fight or flee. When using a Dire Bear, simply approach the hive and press the interaction button to collect honey. The bear can carry a large amount of honey, making it ideal for multiple trips.
If you are gathering honey without a Dire Bear, you will need to deal with the bees. One strategy is to use a ranged weapon like a Crossbow or Longneck Rifle to destroy the hive from a distance. This will cause the bees to swarm, but you can kill them before they reach you. Once the hive is destroyed, you can collect the honey that drops. However, this method is less efficient, as the hive will take time to respawn, and you will need to repeat the process.
Another advanced technique is to tame a giant bee and create your own beehive. To do this, you need to find a wild queen bee, which can be obtained by destroying a wild beehive. Once you have the queen bee, you can place it in a crafted beehive at your base. The beehive will produce honey over time, and you can collect it without the risk of bee attacks. To craft a beehive, you need resources like wood, thatch, fiber, and rare flowers. This method is highly efficient for long-term honey production, as you do not need to venture into dangerous areas to gather honey.
When gathering honey, it is important to manage your inventory and resources. Honey spoils quickly, so you should store it in a preserving bin or refrigerator to extend its shelf life. If you are playing solo, you may need to make multiple trips to gather enough honey for your needs. In a tribe, you can assign roles, with one player gathering honey while others defend or manage resources. Communication and coordination are key to efficient honey gathering in a tribe setting.
Common mistakes to avoid include approaching a beehive without proper protection, which can lead to being swarmed and knocked out. Another mistake is not having enough storage for honey, as it spoils quickly and can be wasted. Additionally, destroying too many wild hives can deplete the local honey supply, making it harder to gather in the future. To optimize your honey gathering, always use a Dire Bear if possible, and consider taming a queen bee to create your own beehive.
In summary, gathering honey in ARK: Survival Evolved requires careful preparation and strategy. Whether you are using a Dire Bear, ranged weapons, or taming a queen bee, understanding the mechanics and planning ahead will ensure you have a steady supply of honey for advanced base building and crafting. Always prioritize safety, manage your resources efficiently, and consider long-term solutions like crafting your own beehive to maximize your honey production.