At the end of the season, I have buckets of wax comb waiting for me in the shed. I always think I will make holiday candles, but I find rendering beeswax really intimidating. Even before I begin, I’m convinced I will set the house on fire, or at least ruin everything I touch. My beeswax […] Read more
Many beekeepers are dismayed to find a whitish coating on their beeswax. The powdery substance may occur on blocks of rendered beeswax and candles, or it may arise on foundation, stored combs, or on honeycomb cappings. Sometimes it is snow white, and at other times it appears faintly purple or mauve. Beekeepers wonder if the […] Read more
When it comes to rendering beeswax from old combs, one common concern is the amount of wax that remains in the slumgum. Whereas it is fairly easy to melt new comb or cappings, old combs can be difficult and frustrating due to cocoons and other debris in the wax. Aram Frangulyan, a beekeeper in Auburn, […] Read more
Back in September I wrote about the wax scales that were so prominently displayed in a photo by Debbe Krape of Delaware. Since then Zachary Huang, a bee researcher at Michigan State University, sent me the following photo of a “normal” set of wax scales. In my post, I wrote that, “The segments where wax […] Read more
The best way to melt beeswax is a mystery to me. It never fails to turn into a messy and arduous task, so I’m always interested in a new twist. Michelle in Tennessee recently reported that a beekeeper friend of hers uses old socks and a crockpot to get the job done easily and efficiently. […] Read more
When you write a post and ten people write back and say, “What the heck are you talking about?” you know you screwed it up. So, what the heck is first rinse water, why do you keep it in the fridge, and why would you even bother? Sorry, sorry. My bad. After beekeepers crush and […] Read more
The photo of a honey bee secreting wax caused quite a stir because it is a phenomenon we don’t often see. Bees secreting wax usually stay close to where it will be used and they tend to move little during the process. Secreting beeswax is such an energy-intensive endeavor that each bee conserves as much […] Read more