Beeswax is a natural wax made by honey bees. Worker bees produce wax from glands on the underside of their abdomen and use it to build the familiar hexagonal cells of the honeycomb.
What is beeswax used for by bees?
Bees use beeswax to build and repair honeycomb. The comb provides structure for storing honey, pollen, and developing bee brood. Beeswax is therefore a key building material in the hive.
What is beeswax made of?
Beeswax is a complex mixture of many lipid compounds, including esters, hydrocarbons, and free fatty acids. Its exact composition can vary with factors such as bee colony conditions and processing.
What is beeswax used for by people?
Beeswax is used in candles, polishes, cosmetics, balms, coatings, food applications, and other products. Its useful properties include its solid texture, relatively low melting range, and ability to form protective films.
Is beeswax edible?
Food-grade beeswax can be used in some food applications, but not every beeswax product is intended for eating. Always follow the intended use and product labeling.
How is beeswax different from honey?
Honey is a food made primarily from nectar and processed by bees. Beeswax is a wax produced by bees as a structural material. Both come from the hive, but they are chemically and functionally different.
Beeswax and the Nahfa honey collection
Nahfa Store's current honey collection focuses on honey and honey-based foods. Explore Multiflora Honey, Kashmiri Acacia Honey, Litchi Honey, Jamun Honey, Ajwain Honey, and Tulsi Honey. Honey-based foods include Honey Dipped Nuts and Honey Dry Fruits.
Frequently asked questions
Do bees make beeswax?
Yes. Worker bees produce beeswax and use it to build honeycomb.
Is beeswax the same as honey?
No. Honey is a nectar-derived food; beeswax is a wax produced by bees for hive construction.
Can beeswax be used in food?
Food-grade beeswax can have food applications, but suitability depends on the specific product and intended use.
