Capped Honey in the Hive
Beekeepers (especially new beekeepers) need to understand how to recognize capped honey in their hives. The name implies that the bees “cover” the honey cells with something – and they certainly do. This article will explain how bees cap honey, why they do it and the difference between wet and dry cappings. Being able to identify honey in this stage is an important part of hive management.
As a beekeeper, I know finding capped honey in my hives is a good thing. It means the bees have food. And, when I am ready to harvest my honey crop, this final stage of honey production lets me know that it is go time!
What is Capped Honey?
Capped honey refers to honey that has been fully processed and stored in wax honeycomb cells with a wax cover on top.
After collecting nectar from flowers, bees transform it from nectar into honey through a process of evaporation and enzyme action.
When the honey reaches a moisture level of about 17-18%, bees cap each cell with a thin layer of beeswax to protect it from moisture and contamination.
How Honey Bees Cap Honey
Worker honey bees make beeswax using special glands located on the underside of their body. These glands produce clear wax scales that is used to build honeycomb sheets – and yes to cap ripe honey.
As wax scales are produced, the bees use their legs and mouthparts to fit the wax covering smoothly across the honey cell. The color and thickness of the wax seal can vary from colony to colony.
Wet Cappings vs. Dry Cappings
An interesting fact about honey bees, is that not all capped honey looks the same. How can this be? We believe it is due to bee genetics. Some subspecies, types or races of honey bees make prettier caps.
Some colonies will cap honey cells by laying the wax seal directly on the honey surface. This causes the capped surface to look “wet”. These wet cappings make the surface appear darker.
Conversely, some colonies produce dry cappings over honey. In this case, a small space of air is left between the honey surface and the wax cap.
This produces a beautiful white appearance and is a favorite of beekeepers producing comb or cut comb (or chunk) honey.
The difference is only in appearance. Either wet or dry cappings on honey serve the same purpose to protect the stored food.
Recognizing Capped Honey in the Hive
You may think that recognizing capped honey in the hive would be a very simple process. However, for new beekeepers, this is not true.
It takes time to learn how to identify everything you see inside a beehive – especially with several thousand bees buzzing around.
Differences Between Honey & Brood Cappings
The most common confusion revolves around recognizing the difference between capped brood cells and capped honey.
During the life cycle of honey bees, developing young go through several development stages. During the third stage (pupal stage), young are sealed inside the cells. Sealed with a wax cap.
It is easy for a beginner to confused capped brood and capped honey on a frame – until you learn what to look for.
Brood cappings tend to be darker because the bees reuse wax to cap the cells. Brood caps also protrude from the surface of the comb a bit.
While honey cappings are always whiter (even wet cappings) because they are made primarily from fresh beeswax. They also do not protrude from the surface of the comb.
Importance of Capped Honey for Beekeepers
Capped honey plays an important role in honey production. It signals that the honey ripening process is complete. Now, the beekeeper can take a share of the crop.
In most cases, uncapped honey is not ready to be removed from the hive. However, there are some circumstances where a beekeeper may do so.
If the honey flow ends abruptly, the colony may not have enough incoming food to produce wax for the final caps. In this case, the beekeeper should use a honey refractometer to ensure the honey is ripe.
Unripe honey with a high water content will spoil and should not be removed from the hive. It is best to monitor capping process and recheck again in a week or two.
Harvest & Storage
When you remove honey from your hives, it is important to process it as soon as possible. We can not do as good a job of protecting honey as the bees. Pest eggs – such as Small Hive Beetles may be on the frames. These can hatch and ruin your harvest.
Store capped honey in a safe location protected from moisture (I use a dehumidifier and fan). Extract your honey within 2-3 days or freeze it for long term storage.
FAQs
It is best to only harvest capped honey to ensure it is ripe and ready. If it is harvested sooner, beekeepers must test the moisture content to ensure the water content is below 18%.
The time required for bees to cap honey depends on several factors including nectar flow, weather conditions, and colony strength. The process can be completed in a few days or take several weeks.
If bees are not capping honey, it may be due to high humidity in the hive or a lack of incoming nectar. Ensuring proper ventilation in the hive and waiting for a drier period may help.
The color of capped honey depends on the nectar source used by the bees to make the honey. Also, in times of a wax shortage – bees may reuse some wax to finish the capping process.
Final Thoughts
I believe that seeing the differences in capped honey is one of the charming aspects of beekeeping. It shows the great diversity in nature. While they are all doing the same thing – it does not always look exactly the same. Learn how to recognize capped honey in your hives and you will know when it is ready to harvest and that your colonies have an abundance of stored food.