Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: richter1978 on December 07, 2013, 11:29:46 pm

Title: Caulk used as propolis?
Post by: richter1978 on December 07, 2013, 11:29:46 pm

I seem to remember reading somewhere that bees have been known to collect caulk.  Well today I was cleaning up a few boxes and collecting the propolis, some of it was very gooey and smelled strongly of caulk.  Anyone know anything about it or possibly witnessed this.  I sure would hate to give someone a ball of caulk, with all its reported health benefits! :-D   

Title: Re: Caulk used as propolis?
Post by: richter1978 on December 08, 2013, 09:26:43 pm

OK, looked up propolis in my ABC XYZ.

Page 671 Paragraph 1

"Honey bees have a threshold of acceptance that is variable, that is, when they cannot find a material they seek such as pollen, nectar or propolis, they may accept a substitute.  Bees have been known to collect and use road tar, drying or soft paint, caulking compound and similar items in place of plant gums and resins.  This contamination with modern products makes propolis use in any modern medicines questionable.  Bees have also been seen gathering propolis fro abandoned bee hives."

So is there any way to tell or refine it.  Or is it small enough to be insignificant, I can't seem to find much reference to it.  I swear this stuff smells like 80% caulk.  Maybe some of the resins are similar?

Title: Re: Caulk used as propolis?
Post by: richter1978 on December 13, 2013, 10:54:21 am

Nothing?

Edit: I feel like I need to add this guy  :'(.

Title: Re: Caulk used as propolis?
Post by: Michael Bush on December 13, 2013, 08:28:09 pm

If it looks like caulk and smells like caulk it's probably caulk...