Uncapping

Uncapping is the first real step of honey processing after the frames are taken off: the thin wax layer with which bees sealed the cells of ripe honey is removed from the comb. While the wax stays, the honey cannot leave the cells. Uncapping comes before extraction.

The wax caps are sliced off with a sharp, thin, long knife, including knives heated by steam or electricity. For many frames there are partly or fully automatic uncapping machines with blades, chains or wires. The cappings are the beekeeper’s main source of beeswax. The EU directive calls honey spun out of decapped broodless combs extracted honey, and honey that drains from such combs drained honey. Comb honey, by contrast, is sold sealed.

Why this matters to you: uncapping does not change the honey, but it decides how much wax ends up in it and how cleanly it separates. ‘Extracted’ or ‘drained’ means the combs were decapped first and held no brood.