Archive for the ‘farm’ tag
Gel Colony
The Buzz on Making Bees Wax!
From all of us at http://www.kissmybees.com/ we welcome you to another bee article! Many people who use our candles and lip balms occasionally ask us “Where Do You Get Your Bees Wax From?” and also “How Does Bees Wax Get Made?”. Well we are here to answer those questions today.
Our Bees Wax candles are made out of 100% pure beeswax with no additives. We get our beeswax mostly from local Florida bee-keepers. The beekeepers are the ones who house and support the bee colonies and as a result produce honey and bee wax. Below is a perfect description from our friends at The Bees Wax Co. on the formation of beeswax by honey bees.
It all begins on a flower in the field. Bees collect nectar from the flowers and bring it to the hive where it becomes either beeswax or honey. A bee’s diet consists primarily of honey, and any honey not consumed by the bees or in the raising of brood is stored as surplus and is ultimately consumed in the winter months when no flowers are available. It is the other use of honey that is of interest to us here: the conversion into beeswax.
The production of beeswax is essential to the bee colony. It is used to construct the combs in which the bees raise their brood and into which they store pollen and surplus honey for the winter.
Worker bees, which live only around 35 days in the summer, develop special wax-producing glands on their abdomens (inner sides of the sternites of abdominal segments 4 to 7) and are most efficient at wax production during the 10th through the 16th days of their lives. From about day 18 until the end of its life, a bee’s wax glands steadily decline. The bees consume honey (6-8 pound of honey are need to produce a pound of wax) causing the special wax-producing glands to covert the sugar into wax which is extruded through small pores. The wax appears as small flakes on the bees’ abdomen. At this point the flakes are essentially transparent and only become white after being chewed. It is in the mastication process that salivary secretions are added to the wax to help soften it. This also accounts for its change in color.
The exact process of how a bee transfers the wax scales from its abdomen to its mandibles was a mystery for years. It’s now known to be done in either of two ways. Most of the activities in the hive are cooperative so it should be no surprise that other worker bees are willing to oblige and remove the wax scales from their neighbors and then chew them. The other method is for the same bee extruding the wax to process her own wax scales. This is done using one hind leg to move a wax scale to the first pair of legs (forelegs). A foreleg then makes the final transfer to the mandibles where it is masticated and then applied to the comb being constructed or repaired.
Beeswax becomes soft and very pliable if the temperature is too high (it actually melts at 149 F). Likewise, it becomes brittle and difficult to manage if the temperature is too low. However, honeybees maintain their hive at a temperature of around 95 degrees Fahrenheit which is just perfect for the manipulation of beeswax: not to hot to be at the point of dripping and not to cold to so as to be brittle.
A honeycomb constructed from beeswax is nothing short of a triumph of engineering. It consists of hexagon shaped cylinders (six-sided) that fit naturally side-by-side. It has been definitively proven by mathematicians that by making the cells into hexagons, it is the very most efficient: the smallest possible amount of wax is used for the volume of honey it contains. It has also been shown to be one of the strongest possible shapes while using the least amount of material.
The color of beeswax comprising a comb is at first white and then darkens with age and use. This is especially true if it is used to raise brood. Pigmentation in the wax can result in colors ranging from white, through shades of yellow, orange, and red all the way to brown. The color has no significance as to the quality of the wax (other than its aesthetic appeal).
Try one of our famous Florida Bees Wax Lip Balms or one of our hand-poured beeswax candles for a true treat any time! Shop online at http://www.floridaherbhouse.com/, or http://www.sharpweblabs.com/! We welcome your questions always! 
Sincerely,
Stephen C. Sharp
www.KissMyBees.com
About the Author
Born and raised in the outskirts of Boston, Ma. With a deep backround in herbal nutriton I offer advice and tips on many natural remedies using only natural herbs and spices. See our discounted organic herbs and spices at www.SharpWeblabs.com and www.FloridaHerbHouse.com or visit our retail store in Port Orange, Florida!
Uncle Milton – Illuminated Ant Farm Gel Colony
|
|
Combat Ant Killing Gel 27grams $3.50 Kills ants at the source. Preferred food form for ants. Works within hours and up to 1 month. Contains fast acting ingredient, Fipronil. Its speed is slow enough, however, for forging ants to return to the colony and feed the bait to the larvae and queen. Gel comes in a syringe applicator. 1 oz…. |
|
|
Terro 600 1-Pound Ant Killer Dust $4.54 Easy to use perimeter treatment for indoor or outdoor use. Kills on contact up to 8 months. No unpleasant odor. 1 lb. canister. Contains: .05% Deltamethrin…. |
|
|
Maxforce Ant Bait Gel- (4 Tubes),ant Poison,ant Pest Control Products, Kill Ant $25.00 Maxforce Ant Bait Gel is effective against Argentine, Odorous House, Ghost, Pavement, Cornfield, and Little Black Ants. Ants ,sugar antwill carry the bait back to the nest and destroy the colony. You will see fewer ants in 3-5 days. Maxforce Ant Bait Gel provides for the sugar feeding needs of ants. If the ants are foraging for protein as well, it is recommended that a protein-based bait be used i… |
|
|
Sugar Free Fruity Gels by The Swiss Colony $17.95 They’re bursting with fruity flavor!… |
|
|
Fascinations AntWorks Illuminated Blue $19.61 The Antworks Habitat and the Antworks Illuminator are all in one box. It includes a removable LED Illuminator with power adaptor, nutrient gel, magnifying glass, extreme zoom lens, ant catching/tunnel starting tool, and instruction booklet with interesting facts about ants. The ants not included, order form enclosed on back page of booklet. Item dimensions: 6.5 ? x 6 ? x 1.25 ?…. |
|
|
Uncle Milton Uncle Milton Giant Ant Farm $14.95 The largest viewing area of any Ant Farm® habitat! Perfect for classrooms!… |
|
|
Fascinations AntWorks TvQuarium $19.85 Cool New Illuminated Habitat — The TVQuarium is the latest addition to the space-age ant farms from AntWorks, it’s the TV you’ll want your kids to watch. — Designed to look like a television set, the black housing frames a clear acrylic habitat with blue nutrient gel inside. Ants tunnel through the gel that they also eat, making it a low-maintenance farm. — Intricate 3-D tunnels become illumi… |
|
|
Exide Orbital ORB75DT-108 Sealed VRLA (AGM) Automotive Battery $139.99 The Exide Select Orbital automotive batteries are a complete line of hi-tech sealed batteries, designed to meet the needs of the serious automobile battery user. These advanced-design batteries use ultra-thin high purity lead plates. This design allows us to give you some of the lowest internal resistance batteries available. Absorbant glass mat technology gives you a completely sealed battery tha… |
|
|
Optima Batteries 8040-218 D35 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery $166.58 Optima D35 YellowTop battery provides the extra performance and deep-cycling capability that your vehicle demands if it has a lot of accessories like running lights, high-performance stereo/AV system, winches, or hydraulics. The unique SpiralCell design provides a strong and clean power source, ensuring the safety of you, your family and the environment. The Optima battery is ideal for seasonal us… |
|
|
Optima Batteries 8003-151 34R RedTop Starting Battery $153.81 Optima 34R RedTop is designed to deliver high power cranking ability even in harsh weather conditions. This battery is great for heavy use by hot rods and off-roaders with its leak-proof, high power, and starting ability. The unique SpiralCell design provides a strong and clean power source, ensuring the safety of you, your family and the environment. The higher reserve capacity gives you a longer… |
