Propolis
Also known as: Bee glue
Bee glue: a resinous mix of plant resins, wax and bee secretions that honey bees use to seal gaps and line the inside of the hive.
Propolis is a mixture of beeswax and resins that honeybees collect from plants, mainly from flower and leaf buds, and mix with saliva and other secretions. Only Apis mellifera is known to forage for propolis; Asian Apis species do not. It is one of the Bee products, alongside Honey.
Bees line the nest and brood combs with propolis, repair combs, seal small cracks, reduce the hive entrance and embalm intruders too large to carry out. Wherever poplars grow, European bees prefer resin from poplar leaf buds. Colour, odour and composition change with local plants and season.
The colour runs from yellow to dark brown. At 25–45 °C propolis is soft, pliable and very sticky; below 15 °C it is hard and brittle; above 45 °C it gets stickier, and at 60–70 °C it is usually liquid. The main compounds are resins with flavonoids and phenolic acids, often up to 50 %; wax content varies. The usual solvent for commercial extracts is ethanol.
In history, Greeks and Romans used propolis on skin abscesses, ancient Egyptians knew it, and it went into varnishes, including those used by Stradivarius.
Why this matters to you. Propolis is a known cause of contact allergy, so people allergic to it should avoid it.
Facts
| Raw material | Plant resins (buds, leaves), beeswax, bee saliva |
|---|---|
| Main use | Bees repair combs, seal cracks and narrow the hive entrance |
| Temperature | Soft at 25–45 °C, hard below 15 °C, liquid at 60–70 °C |
| House range | Colour yellow to dark brown; composition varies with plants and season |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Propolis → kind of → Bee products → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Where it comes from
- 🐝 Bees
- Part of
- Bee products
- Similar and different
- Royal jelly, Sądecki Bartnik Bee-complex, Sądecki Bartnik Miód z propolisem Forte, Sądecki Bartnik Krople propolisowe 30% Forte, Apidava Api Vitamina C naturală, Łysoń Miodovita, Yamada Bee Farm Propolis-eki 30 Brazil
Frequently asked questions
What is propolis?
A mixture of beeswax and resins that bees collect from plants, mainly from buds and leaves, and mix with saliva.
Why do bees use propolis?
They line the nest, repair combs, seal cracks, narrow the entrance and embalm intruders too large to carry out.
What is propolis like at different temperatures?
Soft and sticky at 25–45 °C, hard and brittle below 15 °C, usually liquid at 60–70 °C.
Can propolis cause an allergy?
Yes, it is a known cause of contact dermatitis. People allergic to propolis should avoid it.
Is it true that propolis always has the same composition?
No. Colour, odour and composition depend on local plants and season; in Europe bees favour poplar bud resin.
What to read next
- Royal jelly — Royal jelly is the secretion of young nurse bees' glands used to feed young larvae and the queen; it is harvested only from queen cells.
- Sądecki Bartnik Bee-complex — Honey blend with bee products from Sądecki Bartnik: bee pollen 5%, bee bread 5%, propolis extract 1%, royal jelly 1%.
- Łysoń Miodovita — Honey blend with bee products from Łysoń: bee pollen 4.3%, propolis 0.4%, royal jelly 0.3%.
- Sądecki Bartnik Miód z propolisem Forte — Creamed honey with propolis extract from Sądecki Bartnik: propolis extract 7%.
- Sądecki Bartnik Krople propolisowe 30% Forte — Liquid propolis preparation in drops, sold in a dropper bottle from Sądecki Bartnik: propolis extract 30%.
Similar
Bee pollen · Beeswax · Royal jelly · Bee bread · Beeswax candles
Sources
- FAO, Value-added products from beekeeping, Chapter 5 Propolis
- de Groot A. C. (2013) Propolis: a review of properties, applications, chemical composition, contact allergy, and other adverse effects. Dermatitis 24(6)