How do Bees Make Wax?
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Table of Contents
Where Does Beeswax Come From?
Beeswax is one of the most magical substances on earth – at least that’s what we beekeepers will tell you. Beeswax comes from bees – honey bees in particular. How do bees make wax? Worker bees are responsible for this miracle. Beeswax is much more valuable per pound than honey. Does that surprise you?
Any local beekeeper who displays a booth of bee products will often have a few blocks of beeswax or beeswax candles. Everyone loves to touch the wax and take a sniff.
The light honey aroma permeates the air when blocks of beeswax are nearby. It is hard to believe that honey bees actually make this wonderful substance.
Have you ever held a block of fresh beeswax? If you have, you know it is a joy from the hive. We love to look at it and smell it. It engages the senses of touch and smell.
What is Beeswax?
Beeswax is a natural wax that is produced from the glands of bees in the genus Apis. Amazingly, not every chemical compound in beeswax has been identified.
However, we do know that it has over 280 different compounds consisting of many acids, esters, polyesters and fatty acids. The exact composition of beeswax varies from one location to another.
As a beekeeper for many years, I know that rendered beeswax from my hives can vary in color from one year to another. Most years it is light yellow but sometimes rendered wax is bright yellow.
With a melting point of around 147 °F, beeswax can be gently melted to retain all of its aromas and desirable properties.
Beeswax that is heated for a long period or to a temperature over 185°F may darken and lose some of its golden color. When exposed to temperatures near 400°F beeswax can cause fire .
How is Beeswax Made?
Beeswax is made by worker honey bees inside the beehive. Usually these are house bees who have not started foraging outside yet.
Young adult worker bees are the colony members that produce wax. Bees around the age of 14 – 21 days are the best wax producers. Though in a pinch, other worker bees can make wax too – they just will not be as good at it.
Aside from plenty of young workers, the colony has a few more requirements for good wax production. There has to be a need for wax in the hive and a good flow of food coming in.
Wax Glands of Worker Bees
Worker honey bees have special glands on the underside of their abdomen. There are 4 pairs of glands (for a total of 8) that can secrete wax.
When wax is first secreted it is in small pieces and is clear. We call these pieces of wax – wax scales. It takes many scales of wax to build sections of comb.
I got a shot of one of my worker honey bees with wax scales showing on her underside. I was so impressed. You Go Girl !
Do all Honey Bees Make Wax?
All honey bee species have the capacity to make wax. However, worker bees are the only members of a colony that can do this important task.
The Colors of Raw Beeswax in the Hive
When fresh wax is first made by bees, it is a beautiful pristine white. After spending time in the hive, the color of wax honeycomb changes.
Often progressing from a light yellow, to light brown and if left long enough you will even see black comb.
This is due to the tendency of honeycomb to absorb pollen oils, propolis stains and the dirt from thousands of little feet.
Why do Bees Make Wax
Honey bees make wax to build their hives – at least the internal part which is where all bee life takes place.
Sheets of honeycomb fill the interior of a beehive containing thousands of individual wax cells. These cells will be used to hold baby bees, and food stores.
Most people assume that honey bees collect some type of material for nest building. Honey bees don’t collect nest materials – they produce them!
Bees Use Wax to Build Honeycomb
When the colony needs beeswax, young adult bees gorge on honey. This boost of food is necessary to activate the wax glands.
The process of making wax requires honey bees to consume a lot of food. Hence, wax production is a resource heavy task for the honey bee colony.
For the beekeeper whose bees are not building comb, a lack of enough young bees or food resources are possible problems.
The honey bees actually hang in “chains” to construct the comb. We call this “festooning“. The bees grab the wax scales with their legs and use legs and mouth parts to shape the beeswax into comb.
Why are Beeswax Cells in a Hexagon Shape?
A deep sized frame of honeycomb will have (on average) about 4500 individual wax cells per side. Each one is in a hexagon shape – why do bees build wax cells as a hexagon?
The shape is chosen for cell building because it allows the construction of the most cells in a given space with the smallest amount of beeswax.
Other Uses for Beeswax in the Hive
When bees make wax, they use it for other purpose beyond comb building. They use and reuse any scraps of wax as much as possible.
Clean new wax is used to cap cells of ripe honey for storage. This protects the food stores until it is needed by the colony.
Wax bits can be reused for tasks such as capping brood cells. This is one reason brood caps are tan instead of white.
Beehives Making Wax Produce Less Honey!
Some reports say that bees must consume 8 pounds of honey to produce 1 pound of beeswax. That is over 3 quarts of honey!
A colony that has to produce a lot of fresh beeswax each season produces less surplus honey. Therefore, if you find a honey jar containing comb it will be more expensive.
Beeswax Is A Valuable Hive Product
Honey is not the only product beekeepers can sell. Beekeepers have wax left over after the honey harvest.
This excess beeswax can be used in many crafts and projects. You can make soaps, beeswax balms and pure beeswax candles too.
Cleaned beeswax can vary in color from light to dark but if you are seeing snow white beeswax products- the wax has probably been bleached.
Bleaching can result in a beautiful product but it does often remove the natural honey fragrance.
How to Buy Pure Beeswax?
It is best to purchase beeswax from your local beekeeper. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a local supply. I often sell small bars in my Etsy store.
If you need larger quantities, try Amazon . Read the description closely -Beeswax is often mixed with paraffin to stretch the product further.
Can You Eat Beeswax?
Even though pure beeswax is edible, we have no firm data on any nutritional value. The wax monoesters that make up the wax are poorly digested in the gut of humans and other mammals.
However, the experience of eating honeycomb filled with fresh honey is a delight.
Final Thoughts on How Bees Make Wax
Beeswax is not one simple compound but a combination of many. Made by honey bees, beeswax is used to build the very structure of the hive.
Worker bees of the honey bee colony produce only as much as as is needed. We humans enjoy using beeswax too – it is popular item for many crafts, and projects.
Have fun, be safe
Beekeeper Charlotte
I enjoy your news letter, keep up the good work.
Thanks John, you are so kind !
Does Honey Bee have Dance on Honey Comb in Super ? If it is then what is called and what is it ?
It would still be a regular dance. Most of the dances are on an area of brood comb not too far from the hive entrance.
I’m a bee keeper in Battle Ground Washington, and love reading your posts, thanks for the enjoyable info.
Thank you for taking the time to reach out. I am honored!
Love reading all your posts and get a lot of information from your posts
Thank you so very much.
i always love explanations of “things” in the world…that article was loaded with great information which i always wanted to know! i just bought beeswax to mix with coconut oil and cannabis (a little peppermint oil too!) for a pain topical…now i know how my ingredient is made!
Awesome… thank you I’m glad you found it interesting