How is a brood cell capped in the hive?

In a beehive, those responsible for capping brood cells are the worker bees that provide care for the brood. Once the larvae have reached a certain stage of development, these dedicated worker bees will seal the cell with wax to protect the developing pupa from environmental risks such as pathogens and temperature fluctuations. This capping process is critical for the metamorphosis of the pupa as it transitions into an adult bee.

Worker bees exhibit specialized behaviors throughout the lifecycle of the colony, and caring for the brood, including capping the cells, is one of their key roles. They ensure that the conditions inside the brood cells remain stable, allowing the pupae to mature properly. This task is not done by the queen, forager bees, or automatically by the hive's environment, emphasizing the essential function of worker bees in nurturing and protecting the new generation of bees.