Hi there Some message from Switzerland ... Not having all capped seems not a problem to me. As Jim already pointed out, if about 1/3 of the comb is capped, the honey in the whole comb should be good and ripe to harvest. I never had problems with that and also learned it this way during my course for beekeepers. There is a quite simple test, whether the honey is ripe. Just take the comb and holding it horizontal, shake it against the floor with a quick shake. You should do this over some place where you can see whether liquid is shaken out of the comb. If you see no drops falling out, the honey is ok, if the honey is not ripe enough and has too much moisture, you will see drops falling out. Using this method, you do not need any refractometers or other instruments when checking your honey. By the way ... the combs at the side of the supper usually hold most moisture, so if they are ok, then the whole supper will most probably be ok. regards, dieter schuerer :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::