Propolis
Propolis is one of the honey bees product, it is a resinous mixture that bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used by this insect as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive. Propolis is used for small gaps that approximately 6.35 millimeters (0.3 in) or less, while larger spaces are usually filled with beeswax.
The colors varies depending on its botanical source, the most common is dark brown. Propolis shape is sticky at and above room temperature. At lower temperatures it becomes hard and very brittle.
For centuries, beekeepers assumed that bees sealed the beehive with propolis to protect the colony from the elements, such as rain and cold winter drafts. However, 20th century research has revealed that bees not only survive, but also thrive, with increased ventilation during the winter months throughout most temperate regions of the world.
Propolis is now believed to:
- reduce vibration
- reinforce the structural stability of the hive
- prevent diseases and parasites from entering the hive
- make the hive more defensible by sealing alternate entrances
- prevent putrefaction within the hive. Bees usually carry waste out of and away from the hive. However if a small lizard or mouse, as example, found its way into the hive and died there, bees may be unable to carry it out through the hive entrance. In that case, they would attempt instead to seal the carcass in propolis, essentially mummifying it and making it odorless and harmless.
You can find another article at Propolis
