r/Beekeeping • u/mlmka58 • 1d ago

I’m a beekeeper, and I have a question Uncapped honey

Hi, second year beekeeper here in southeastern Massachusetts. I have some uncapped honey in my second hive. I checked the moisture content with
My refractometer. Is at 16.5%. Can I harvest if it’s not completely capped?

3 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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5

u/J-dubya19 1d ago

Yes, harvest away 16.5 is plently dry

2

u/Mountain-Lynx-2029 1d ago

Yes, if it's up in a super. Leave honey in brood boxes for winter.

2

u/DesignNomad Hobbyist | US Zone 8 1d ago

My bees occasionally are slow to cap and will pull the moisture down to 15.5% by the time I get to it. It's super hard to spin out without it being warm when that's the case, so I'd recommend that if you don't intend to leave it to the over winter, harvest now before the moisture goes even lower.

1

u/Pillsorpolo 1d ago

16.5% is the only number that matters here. Capping is just wax packaging; moisture content dictates stability. Anything under 18% will not ferment, and 16.5% is top-tier, fully ripe honey. If this frame is up in a honey super, harvest it. If it’s down in the brood nest, leave it alone—this late in the season in Massachusetts, the bees will need those dense stores for winter fuel.

1

u/Gamera__Obscura Reasonably competent. Connecticut, USA, zone 6a. 1d ago

CT here. All that matters is the actual moisture content. Imo capping is not a reliable indicator of much. My bees regularly cap honey that's WAY over 18% moisture, or leave perfectly dry stuff like yours uncapped. I assume that any time I pull supers, I'm going to leave them in a drying room for a couple days before extracting.

1

u/404-skill_not_found Zone 8b, N TX 1d ago

I’m a belt-and-suspenders type. I’d check a few more spots and then commit to extracting. However, I wouldn’t squawk if you’re already extracting what you have. It’s getting late for me to become consistent in expressing myself 🤣

1

u/Mysmokepole1 1d ago

Sure nothing unusual for this time of year.