Pollen and Other Specialty Bee Products (Re: Today I Made)

[Ben Framed]

Yes they will concentrate its use in an areas of the hive that they find is 'beneficial' and 'feasible' to them.. On the other hand, and to be fair, I have seen a feral hive living in a tree with an open crack in the tree trunk at least three feet long and 6 to 8 inches wide with no propolis visible in effort to cover the comb which is plainly visible 'in that crack'. Also in fairness, there most likely was a propolis built up 'in' the confines of hollow of the tree out of sight.
As I said earlier you two may be right about light and propolis, and I suspect you are, when its use is "feasible" in their management', such in the case of my langstroth hives for example with little to seal in 'regard to shutting out light'..  Now frames in the same hives, a totally different matter (how and why do they produce so much)??.. lol.
An Exception in my case is hives that I have purposely set up a significant crack between the tops and their top boxes through Winter Months. (Another subject entirely)...

An overabundance of propolis production has been the case for me since my first hive. (No matter the breed of bee; feral or from ordered queens from two states away). I contribute this to 'perhaps' location...
Since propolis has been added to this topic, I am inquiring in relation to the overly abundant production of propolis which I am seeking information:  Is propolis of 'significant' value, and is there a fair market for it, I for one would like some inside information about such, for those who might be in the know. Such would be greatly appreciated..


Phillip

[Lesgold]

Something as simple as propolis generates so many questions. We all see it in our hives and possibly just take it for granted. I can understand bees using it for cutting out light by sealing up cracks. Do they do this to control ventilation or to keep potential pests out?  I can also understand its importance in creating a clean, sterile environment. Why do some hives contain lots of propolis whereas others are relatively free of the substance? Quite a few years ago I built a few boxes from cypress pine. The smell of the timber was quite strong. Over a period of time the bees put a coating of propolis over the entire interior surface of the box.

[Ben Framed]

"I can understand bees using it for cutting out light by sealing up cracks. Do they do this to control ventilation or to keep potential pests out?"

We actually had quite the debate on the subject, concerning (ventilation & varroa) a few years ago here at Beemaster.. I do not recall that propolis was brought into that subject. Incidentally, I posted the link to that debatable subject/topic just a day or so ago on 'yet' another topic lol ...

[Michael Bush]

The word "propolis" means "before the city" or "in front of the city".  The most noticeable place for propolis before we bred it out of them, was to reduce the entrance.  But they also coat everything with propolis to control microbes.  They also reinforce every corner of every cell with propolis worked into the wax.  They also tear down the foundations of every comb and rebuild them with half propolis and half wax for strength.  Propolis is used all through the colony.

[Ben Framed]

I once watched a cutout video where bees had propilized a squirrel within the confines of their colony, which was located in the soffit area of a home. The squirrel was completely encapsulated in propolis and looked mommyfied.

[The15thMember]

My bees make a good amount of propolis year round, but once we get our first chilly night, I notice they really get to work filling every crack in the hive.  It's more than once I've had a colony with a screened inner cover that once the weather turns cold starts to work filling in the entire screen with propolis (which I don't make them do, I just give them a solid cover, since that is what they want).   I also have a homemade migratory cover which is a bit warped, and only once it got down to the high 50's F overnight did those bees fully caulk up the air spaces under that cover.  So for my bees at least, temperature seems to play a role in the degree of the propolizing, but not its presence or absence.

[Lesgold]

An interesting observation Reagan. We had a cold night and I was wondering about my decision to put the propolis mat on the hive with cool weather coming. The girls would have worked a little harder to keep brood warm. It will be interesting to see how they react to the temperature drop. I?m hoping that they start filling the mat quickly to get rid of either the light or temperature drop issue.

[Michael Bush]

If you just use a window screen for a quilt (no frame) on top of the top bars you can collect a lot of propolis.  Just roll it up, put a rubber band on it and put it in the freezer.  To harvest, put it in a garbage bag and unroll it.  The propolis will break into pieces and fall off.

[Lesgold]

That?s a good idea Michael. So simple. Do you still leave the lid partially open? Do you use metal or plastic flyscreen?