Wet vs. Dry Capping

Capping wax is the thin layer of new wax that bees build over the top of cured honey. It is very interesting to say that bees don’t cap the honey cells the same way as the brood cells. Unlike the brood cells (which bees cap one cell at time), bees cap honey cells in groups. As soon as an area of comb becomes ready for capping, honey bees

can cover a number of inches all at once. This is why, if we make a comparison, we can notice a difference in the surfaces of the honeycomb and the brood comb.

The final look of the already finished combs can be different in regard to the method of its construction. However, these methods affect only the appearance of the comb and not the flavor, color or quality of honey. One way of building a cap is when bees place the capping wax directly on the surface of honey. A different way of making the cap is when bees are leaving a bit of an air pocket between the honey surface and the capping wax.

Peculiarities of the wet vs. dry capping

The honeycomb with the dry capping is the one built with the latter method. This dry capping has fair color, or even white. On the other hand, there is a wet capping which has a darker color. It doesn’t mean that the capping is literally wet, but it looks like it is.  Some bees produce only white, dry capping, other only dark, wet cappings, and some of them can produce both. For example, the Italian honey bees are famous because of their production of only white, dry caps. On the other hand, Caucasian bees produce wet caps.

The Italian bees are popular in the USA. They became popular because of their production of white, dry capping. This is because the producers of honey discovered that consumers prefer dry cappings. Producers said that they can get better prices for the white, “clean” combs.