What do bees use propolis for?
· Apis mellifera honey bees use propolis to keep their homes dry, cosy and hygienic. The propolis coating makes the walls of their nesting place waterproof and draught-proof. Propolis is used to seal up any cracks or gaps where micro-organisms could flourish. The volatile oils in propolis must serve as a kind of antiseptic air-freshener. · As a building material to decrease the size of nest entrances, and to make them smooth for passing bee traffic. · A thin layer is used to varnish inside brood cells before the queen lays eggs into them. Presumably this provides a strong, waterproof and hygienic unit for developing larvae. · To embalm bodies of mice or other predators too large for them to eject from the nest: these would otherwise decay and be a source of infection. · Apis florea, one of the Asian honey bee species deters enemies by using rings of propolis (like grease bands) to coat the branch from which its single-comb nest is suspended. PROPOLIS CLEANSING Finighang Aaron Ndichia,
