Bee propolis viewed through stereo microscope, 8X.

[van from Arkansas]

The round ball in the pic is Bee propolis magnified 8 times with the aid of a Nikon stereo microscope.    A one inch mass of bee glue that I rounded into a ball.  Kinda of beautiful with all the shades of brown.  The bee glue is not sticky at this stage and is hardening by the day.



Lots of brown hues from the different plants.

When first collected the glue is soft and can be molded into any shape, like art, then hardened by the day at room temp.

I could shape like an egg then post to Youtube: what kind of egg, what is this, found in the woods.
Van

[CoolBees]

Wow - that is really odd looking Van. And light colored too. Is it just me - or is all the Propolis I see very dark colored ...

How did you collect it?

[The15thMember]

So pretty!  It almost looks like a polished stone up close.

[BeeMaster2]

The color of the propolis is dependent on the type of sap that your bees are using. Mine is usually a little darker than Van?s.
Jim Altmiller

[van from Arkansas]

Cool, I collected propolis oof frames that were in a deep.  I was just cleaning up frames and I didn?t not want to throw the glue on the ground as the propolis gets stuck on the bottom of my shoes.  So I gathered in my hand and rolled into a ball.  The smell is like lite honey, a pleasant aroma.
Van

[van from Arkansas]

Another pic, no microscope.

[CoolBees]

That's still amazing Van. 

[The15thMember]

My bees' propolis is also much darker than this normally.  I find this time of the year to be the worst for propolis.  The girls are starting to really concentrate on sealing up the hive, but it's still very warm here, and the propolis right now is SO STICKY!  My big hive is still 4 mediums tall, and I had trouble getting the boxes separated last week. 

[BeeMaster2]

Van,
You say it smells like honey. That sounds like it might be wax.
My propolis smells a little like pine.
Jim Altmiller

[van from Arkansas]

Jim? It?s not sticky at all.  No honey and the bee glue hardens by the day.  I can no longer shape the ball.  Wax is soft and one can easily tell the difference between wax and glue..
Van

[ed/La.]

The propolis I collect is black

[van from Arkansas]

Propolis appears to be dark as text unanimously above, except for my area propolis.

I live in hard wood country, Ozark Hills, Not a pine tree in sight, mostly oaks.  White oak, red oak, black walnut, dog wood, redbud and sassafras [rootbeer] everywhere with a few maple and ash.  All my propolis is brown as in pic.  Some propolis, in my hives, is semitransparent light brown that is hard as a rock.

Van

[saltybluegrass]

Jim? It?s not sticky at all.  No honey and the bee glue hardens by the day.  I can no longer shape the ball.  Wax is soft and one can easily tell the difference between wax and glue..
Van

What do you remove with and what tinctures/ or uses do you make ?

[van from Arkansas]

Salty, glad you are feeling better, I know first hand the gall bladder can be a pain. Literally!!!

I use a hive tool, ordinary hive tool and scrape frames.  I have no use for the propolis other than to remove from the ground so I don?t step on the stuff.  In the humid hive the propolis remains tacky, but I find once removed the propolis hardens.  Hardens enough to bounce when dropped on the floor.

Blessings to all Beekeepers
Van

[The15thMember]

I have no use for the propolis other than to remove from the ground so I don?t step on the stuff.  In the humid hive the propolis remains tacky, but I find once removed the propolis hardens.  Hardens enough to bounce when dropped on the floor.

Okay, I'm going to have to try this now.  I'm making propolis bouncy balls next time I clean frames!