Understanding Honey Levels
Beehives and bee nests fill with honey over time as bees work. You can only harvest honey when the hive reaches honey level 5 (maximum).
Shearing at Full Honey
When a beehive or bee nest shows it's completely full of honey, use your 
Ceramic Shears to shear it. Right-click the hive with shears equipped.
Why Shears Matter
Using shears instead of other tools is the key advantage: shearing at honey level 5 harvests the honey without angering the bees. This prevents bee attacks and lets you farm honey safely and repeatedly from the same hive.
Setup Tips
Place beehives or bee nests near flowers to speed up honey production. Check them periodically until they reach maximum honey level, then shear. You can shear the same hive multiple times as it refills.
This method is ideal for peaceful honey farming without needing campfires or other bee-calming mechanics.