From flower to hive

Every jar of honey begins as nectar — a thin, sweet liquid that flowers produce to attract pollinators.

A forager bee visits hundreds of flowers on a single trip, drawing nectar and carrying it back to the hive. There, it is passed between bees, and the colony gradually reduces its moisture by fanning it with their wings.

When the moisture is low enough, the bees cap the cell with wax. Capped honeycomb is nature's way of saying the honey is ready.

Beekeepers read those caps. Harvesting capped frames — and leaving the colony plenty for itself — is the foundation of ethical honey.