Where Does Beeswax Come From?
Well, that is a pretty obvious question.
Just from the name itself, beeswax comes from bees.
But that is not the whole point of the question.
It is more of just how is beeswax made and how do the bees create this wonderful natural wax exactly.
Scientists who have been studying the behavior of bees have found out that these insects really have to produce beeswax.
See, this natural wax is very important to the whole colony because it is what is used in creating the honeycombs.
In these honeycombs, the bees nurture the young ones.
They also serve as the warehouse and the storeroom of the pollen that they collect as well as the honey that the entire colony will be using up during winter when there are no more flowers.
Not all the bees in a colony create beeswax.
It is only the worker bees who do.
They have these glands located underneath their abdomens and these glands are the ones which take care of the production of the beeswax.
These worker bees have to take in the honey that they collect.
See, scientists have recorded that a pound of beeswax means that a worker bee has to take in six to eight pounds of honey.
Anyway, when the bees take in honey, the glands then convert the sugar from the honey into our beeswax.
If you will be looking at the beeswax straight right at the abdomen of the worker bee, you will notice that they look like very small flakes.
They are usually transparent when fresh.
The only time that they become white is when the worker bees chew on them.
The saliva of the worker bees is essential to make the beeswax soft.
You may be wondering though just why is it that beeswax is yellowish when it has been discussed that they are transparent or white.
The thing is, beeswax changes color because of the honey that is stored in it in the honeycombs.
Another point is that the bees have to go from one flower to another and while they are doing that, elements get stuck to their abdomens.
Now that is another thing that makes the beeswax change color.
What is important though is that beeswax is very natural that you do not have to add essential oils to give it some scent.
Just from the name itself, beeswax comes from bees.
But that is not the whole point of the question.
It is more of just how is beeswax made and how do the bees create this wonderful natural wax exactly.
Scientists who have been studying the behavior of bees have found out that these insects really have to produce beeswax.
See, this natural wax is very important to the whole colony because it is what is used in creating the honeycombs.
In these honeycombs, the bees nurture the young ones.
They also serve as the warehouse and the storeroom of the pollen that they collect as well as the honey that the entire colony will be using up during winter when there are no more flowers.
Not all the bees in a colony create beeswax.
It is only the worker bees who do.
They have these glands located underneath their abdomens and these glands are the ones which take care of the production of the beeswax.
These worker bees have to take in the honey that they collect.
See, scientists have recorded that a pound of beeswax means that a worker bee has to take in six to eight pounds of honey.
Anyway, when the bees take in honey, the glands then convert the sugar from the honey into our beeswax.
If you will be looking at the beeswax straight right at the abdomen of the worker bee, you will notice that they look like very small flakes.
They are usually transparent when fresh.
The only time that they become white is when the worker bees chew on them.
The saliva of the worker bees is essential to make the beeswax soft.
You may be wondering though just why is it that beeswax is yellowish when it has been discussed that they are transparent or white.
The thing is, beeswax changes color because of the honey that is stored in it in the honeycombs.
Another point is that the bees have to go from one flower to another and while they are doing that, elements get stuck to their abdomens.
Now that is another thing that makes the beeswax change color.
What is important though is that beeswax is very natural that you do not have to add essential oils to give it some scent.
Source...