When beekeepers
extract honey, they also harvest the beeswax. But where does this beeswax come from? Beeswax is created in the worker bee's wax glands on the underside of her abdomen. It comes out in tiny little chips that they mold together to make the hexagon honeycomb cells- they create their entire homes out of beeswax! They also cap the honey over when it is ready. These cappings are what the beekeeper keeps.
What can we use beeswax for? Lots of things- here's a few:
Candles: Beeswax candles are one of the biggest uses. These special candles are used in homes and churches because they burn slower and brighter and don't drip.
Root Candles in Medina, Ohio is a company that uses beeswax, and sometimes it's a very long process to get from the beeswax to a candle used at your dinner table. Here's a picture of candles being dipped.
Cosmetics: Beeswax is now used in many lotions and lip balms because it is a natural product that helps to seal in moisture. Check your chapstick- maybe it contains beeswax!
Other Uses: Your mom or dad might use beeswax to help dresser drawers slide better or even in their furniture polish. We can use beeswax all around the house- some crayons even have the honeybee's hard work in them!
"Bee in the Know": Many churches only use beeswax candles because they don't leave a smoky residue on the statues and windows.
On NPR radio yesterday there was a whole segment on the gaining popularity with women in the U.S. who were taking up beekeeping. It mentioned new, lightweight beekeeping equipment that was making it easier for women to take up this hobby. Could you point me in a direction to learn more about this lightweight equimentment, please? Here's the link for the radio program that mentioned this equipment. http://m.npr.org/news/front/128574280 Thank you, Lisa, we recently me at the Bluegrass Beekeepers potluck in Cynthiana.
ReplyDeleteHi! It was great to meet everyone at the Potluck on Sunday! For women beekeepers, there are a few ways to go about lightening your load.
ReplyDeleteFirst, and most easily, you can use the shallow supers (as opposed to the medium depth). These, while you don't get as much honey, saves about 10 lbs. when full.
Second, you can try some special equipment. There are a few different retailers that have plastic or polystyrene hives/equipment. These are slightly more lightweight.
Unfortunately, the majority of the weight in beekeeping is the honey itself- deep hive bodies full of honey weight approximately 90 lbs (though, too much honey to lift is a great problem to have!), so I would recommend getting a beekeeping friend or someone to call to help out when your supers are getting heavy!
Lisa
Guess I was hoping to be the Little Red Hen? Thanks for your help, Lisa.
ReplyDeleteAnother way to help with the strain of lifting is to put your hive on a hive stand so it's not on the ground and you don't have to bend over so far.
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