Propolis
- What is it?
- A resin like material
- A mixture of sticky exudate from conifers and cone bearing trees.
- Mixed with beeswax and saliva.
- Also known as "bee glue".
- Its composition varies very widely depending on the plants in the area.
- Similar to honey also varying widely depending on the local flowers:
- Contains flavonoids
- A polyphenol found in many foods such as red wine, vegetables and green tea
- Contains Phenolic acids
- Contains Phenolic aldehydes
- Becomes sticky above 19C
- Becomes brittle below 19C
- Hence the expression "cracking the hive" when opening it.
- The word "propolis" comes from
- Greek "pro" meaning "before"
- Greek "polis" meaning "city".
- "Propolis" also means a suburb cf. "metropolis".
- How do bees collect the resin?
- They usually collect the resin on warmer days when it is more malleable
- They find a suitable source and break off a small particle with their mandibles
- This piece is worked with the mandibles and forelegs
- Transferred to middle legs and then into the corbicula.
- On returning to the colony other workers help it of load
- Workers then place it where it is required
- This process adds more wax and saliva to the resin to make propolis.
- What do bees use it for?
- Believed to help fight bacteria, vruses and fungi
- Help keep the colony enclosure free of disease.
- Feral colonies may line their nest with a layer .3mm to 0.5mm thick
- Apis mellifera use it to seal up gaps in the hive
- A gap is any opening less than 0.6mm wide.
- Bigger gaps are sealed with brace comb.
- It has been suggested it improves thermal insulation - which sealing cracks will do.
- It can be used to narrow the entrance
- This may be to make it easier to defend
- It may be to help maintain a constant environment in the hive.
- It may be that as bees brush against it then pathogens on them are killed.
- It has been used to mummify mice that have got in to the hive.
- Encasing the body in propolis prevents putrefaction
- Apis dorsata sometimes use it to strengthen the point where they are hanging their comb from a branch
- Apis cerana are not thought to use it at all.
- Apis florea use it as a barrier to prevent ants invding their nest
- Apis mellifera use it to keep beekeepers out of the hive - I am sure that is the case.
- Given a choice many beekeepers look for colonies that do not produce much propolis.
- What are the medical benefits?
- The benefits of consuming propolis are many.
- It has been linked to cures for:
- Arthritis
- Cold Sores
- and just about every other condition which we know of
- There is very little sound evidence for any beneficial effects on humans of propolis
- The only benefit is that it makes the user who believes in it feel better.
- Sound evidence should consist of double blind trials which are peer reviewed
- I have been unable to find any such reports.
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