Wax for bees - what is it?

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

All modern beekeepers are well aware of what wax for bees is. However, not only they, the material is actively used in various sectors of the economy, including for handicrafts. For example, it is used for making candles, polishing wooden surfaces. Let's try to figure out what this word means.

General view

In the work of a beekeeper, foundation for bees cannot be replaced by anything. This is the main substance from which honeycombs are formed. If you provide the insects living in the apiary with the necessary amount of consumables, the honey harvest will be more than decent. Wax is used by bees in the process of building honeycombs, in a number of other biological and chemical processes that occur during the production of this product. Many modern beekeepers can make foundation with their own hands in order to provide their beneficiaries with everything necessary for the production of honey.

Due to foundation, insects can live in comfort, the population will be he althy and full. For a beekeeper, this is essential.simplifies the care of the apiary. Functions of wax for bees:

• nest increase;
• ensure performance;
• possibility of family development in the warm season.

What is this

Normally, wax for bees is thin flat wax sheets broken into numerous hexagonal cells. If such a sheet is of high quality, then there will be no impurities in it. It is important that the thickness is uniform over the entire area of the sheet. The optimal smell of the material is the natural aroma of wax, without any additional fragrances. During storage, it is necessary to ensure that moisture does not get on the wax, as this spoils its quality. It is also important to protect the sheets from damage.

Varieties and classification

There are three types of wax for bees:

• natural;
• artificial;
• semi-natural.

Of course, if possible, preference is given to natural - this is the highest quality foundation. The raw material for manufacturing is pure wax. There are no artificial impurities in this product. Bees perceive such foundation perfectly, and experienced beekeepers work only with it.

Artificial raw materials are made from paraffin and plastic. There is either no wax at all, or it is present in very small quantities.

Semi-natural foundation is made from wax with the addition of impurities. Often, paraffin is introduced into the composition. Sheets have low strength, so you need to work with them with extreme care.

Production Features

On how to dofoundation for bees, experienced beekeepers can tell. Of course, you can buy a finished product, but many prefer to cope with the task on their own, so as not to doubt which components are included in the product. When choosing the initial composition, it must be remembered that different substances affect the bees in different ways, it is on the basis of this that they decide whether to give preference to natural substances or add artificial ones.

The simplest method is to make natural foundation from soft raw materials. The mechanical method is applied, special rollers are used. They are automatic and manual. Rollers are equipped with cells through which it is necessary to pass preheated, softened wax. Regular bee wax measurements are approximately 41x21 cm.

How else can you

Some foundations use a press made of two plates equipped with hexagonal cells. The result will be of high quality, but the procedure requires a lot of time. More often, such a press is used by beekeepers who have small or medium-sized sites. In large apiaries, rollers are preferable. The resulting product can be safely used in the work, including giving a swarm of bees foundation strips in the summer season, so that the insect family has the necessary volumes of the product for life.

Options with the introduction of artificial additives into the composition of the honeycomb require the availability of production facilities. Professional equipment is used, the beekeeper only orders the required volume of the product. In practice, most people prefer a natural product, as it is more suitable for bees, and you don’t have to worry about the quality of the honey produced. Some even do without it, practicing keeping bees without foundation. This is not the easiest beekeeping method, but the beekeepers who adhere to it are deservedly proud of their work.

Should I take an artificial product?

Some beekeepers can tell you how to save foundation on swarms of bees, but most modern entrepreneurs are of the following opinion: you should not save money, as this leads to poor swarm productivity during the honey collection period. Some, trying to save money, purchase an artificial product. This option is acceptable, but many condemn it. Modern technologies give access to innovative inventions, including those related to beekeeping. Artificial foundations last up to ten years, which is impossible when using natural raw materials.

To make foundation with your own hands, you need to spend not only raw materials, but also time, make a lot of effort. Buying a finished product is much easier, cheaper. You don’t have to put on anything, the new thing is immediately installed in the groove or even a new frame is installed.

Are there any weaknesses

Artificial foundation along with positive aspects has a number of disadvantages. In particular, in order to effectively prevent bee diseases, a natural product must occasionally be treated with chemicals, but when using plasticthe frequency will have to be increased several times. This, of course, negatively affects both the he alth of insects and the quality of the honey they produce.

As noted by beekeepers, there is not yet enough experience to be able to speak about the equivalence of the use of plastic foundation and natural foundation. How well the combs are built up, how willingly the uterus will lay larvae - comparative analyzes, studies have not yet been conducted, so there is no exact information. Some consider the fact that plastic foundation cannot be made with your own hands as a weakness, you will have to immediately invest in the purchase, which can be problematic when the beekeeper is just starting out.

What can you do yourself

One of the serious problems of modern beekeepers is the wax moth. This harmful insect threatens both the swarm and its home. To get rid of the pest, you need to know how to polish a tree with wax from bees, although most often in practice they use the most common moth remedies in stores. Some suggest using roofing material, the smell of which should scare away a harmful insect. In addition, the problem with moths can be provoked by too large a hive or a weak colony of bees.

To make wax for bees with your own hands, you can use a fairly simple method that requires you to have at your disposal:

• silicone (600 ml);
• adhesive tape;
• catalyst (40g);
• spatula;
• voshchina (natural, artificial).

Action algorithm

To begin with, the base is placed on a hard surface, picking up a flat place - this makes the job easier. A board is made from adhesive tape to prevent the leakage of silicone. The catalyst is mixed with silicone, poured into a mold and waited for hardening. When this happens, a new product is taken out with a spatula.

If the factory base gets dirty, it is important to clean it before the next use. Experts pay attention to the fact that the first time rarely does anyone get a really perfect foundation. With a little experience, you'll be able to do this much better.

Storage Features

In order for foundation to be stored for a long time and not deteriorate, it is necessary to choose a dry place for it. The product must not be exposed to direct sunlight. It is better to pre-wrap the plates with strong paper. Wax absorbs odors very well, so a room where there is no smell is preferred.

Immediately before use, the foundation is unrolled and heated in the sun for several minutes. This helps to update the product and prepare it before placing it in the hive.

Natural foundation: how to make

If the apiary is medium-sized or small, experts strongly recommend using foundation of natural origin. For its manufacture, you can use a special installation - a wax press. It is equipped with a cooling system, silicone matrix. The most modern productsare produced in accordance with international standards and are not inferior in quality to the best imported samples. The press is chosen, focusing on the required type of frame as a result - rue, dadan.

The main consumable is wax. The required volume is heated to 90 degrees, regularly checking the mass with a thermometer to avoid overheating. In five minutes, the substance is cooled to a slight thickening. If you overcool the mass, you will have to heat it again, so it is important to control the process. The resulting wax is poured into the press, and when ready, the wax is taken out. Immediately after that, you can fill in a new batch of the original substance.

What to choose

Some say that every beekeeper has his own best option. To understand which foundation is more like specific conditions, it is worth trying all three types and, based on your own experience, decide what to stop at. Much depends on the scale of production, and on the characteristics of specific bee colonies, working conditions and human life, the climatic zone.

Some features of beekeeping

Experts advise paying special attention not only to foundation, but also to all aspects of interaction with the insect family. Proper care of the hives is the key to a good honey harvest. In particular, in the spring, it is imperative to check all the frames in order to use only the best ones in the nests. When installing wax in honeycombs, it is better to pre-wet it with a sugar solution on both sides. Then the insects will immediately start cleaning, and the uterus will have morespace.