Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
wherever you find it in your hives. Do not mix propolis with beeswax because it
will darken the wax, and will cause beeswax candles to burn poorly.
Propolis will be a part of your beekeeping life. For honey bees it is essential.
For beekeepers it will be irksome, ordinary, and for some profitable.
Removing Unwanted Propolis
Always have a bottle of ethyl alcohol in your tool kit to remove propolis from your
hands, hive tool, and smoker. Use a rag for the equipment, but just pour some on
your hands and rub the propolis off. When you get propolis on your clothes (and
you will), before washing use a commercial spot remover full strength and let it
soak overnight. Once washed, propolis stains are permanent.
Honey bees use propolis to stick things together to keep them water- and windproof.
A cover, such as this one, can be difficult to remove when it's warm outside be-
cause the propolis will be sticky. When it's cold outside, the propolis will be
brittle—when you open the cover, it will vibrate and snap, an activity the bees in-
side frown on.
When propolis is warm, it has the consistency of chewing gum and will stick to any-
thing it touches.
When routinely working your colony, take a moment to clean the frame rests and
frame ends of sticky propolis. If left too long, the buildup will cause the frame tops
to violate bee space. Also, clean frames help keep your hands and clothes clean
when working the colony.
