Part of the honey-making process by honey bees involves dehydrating the nectar from 80 percent moisture content to 18-20%. These super-skilled creatures can only cap honey that has attained the proper moisture content. In most cases, honey that is not capped is yet to attain the right moisture content. You can help the bees in the drying process by ensuring the hive have a lower and upper hive opening. It allows good air circulation where dry, cool air flows to the bottom and warm, wetter air leaves through the top.  While it is good for beekeepers to allow the bees to collect as much honey as possible, they should also be cautious not to be too late to harvest. 

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Can you harvest honey that is not capped?

You can harvest honey in the open cells(uncapped honey) if it is cured. How do you check whether it is cured? You simply turn the frames with the open cells upside down and give them a gentle shake. If the honey leaks from the cells, know it is not cured and should not be extracted.  It should not be stored too. In fact, it is not even honey but uncured nectar. Its water content is usually very high. 

Bottling such a product will result in water syrup that will end up fermenting or spoiling. While you can eat fermented honey, its taste is completely different. Some people like to chew the uncapped honey like comb honey. It can be fine if you plan to consume it within a few weeks. If uncapped honey passes the shake test, you should extract it normally. At the end of a nectar flow, bees will always have cured but uncapped honey. While the cappings are missing, the moisture content is ideal. Again, if the number of uncured cells is small, you should go ahead and extract with the other frames.

What do l do with uncapped honey?

You can extract the frames with large quantities of uncapped honey separately and store them in a refrigerator. You first use this for your personal.  The honey can also be stored in a freezer to be used by bees in early spring supplemental feeding. You can also consider interchanging empty frames in the brood with the uncapped honey. Some beekeepers put partially capped frames in a dry room with a dehumidifier for a few days to reduce the moisture content. 

How does uncapped honey taste?

Uncapped honey that is not cured is not ready for storage and will ferment over time. It tastes slightly alcoholic and contains a bready smell. A fermenting honeycomb makes a small brewery! If bottled, you may see foam bubbles in it, and a container may make a popping sound as you open it. However, fresh uncapped honey tastes like normal honey. The excess moisture does not affect the taste of honey. Honey in open cells that passes the shake test will taste normal and don’t ferment. 

What are the problems that may arise from uncapped honey?

On top of fermenting and bubbling out of the comb, it can become moldy. This leaky nectar can attract wax moths, ants and other insects. Lastly, uncured honey can cause a moisture problem in the hive. You can shake out the watery content completely to be left with the cured honey. This leaves you with honey close to being cured and is easier to handle. 

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What do you need to harvest honey from a hive?

To harvest honey from the hive, you will need protective gear, a bee smoker, a hive tool, and an empty super. A bee smoker generates smoke to calm the bees. You put the capped frames in the empty super or a bucket with a lid.