It has long been assumed that honey does not contain propolis. In fact, it is commonly taught to beginner beekeepers that this is the case. Honey and propolis are two entirely separate hive products, collected from different plant sources and serving different functions within the colony. Because bees don’t ingest propolis and don’t put it into honey, it was assumed that honey does not contain propolis.
However, scientists have now turned that assumption on its head. Analytical studies show that honey contains compounds that are not present in plant nectars but are present in propolis. This raises an obvious and important question. If bees do not physically add propolis to honey, how do propolis-derived compounds end up there at all?
Understanding this requires looking very closely at hive biology and the environment in which honey is made.
Honey and propolis: separate products, different roles
It is true that honey and propolis are derived from very different plant materials. Honey begins as floral nectar, collected by foraging bees and transformed inside the hive into a stable, long-term carbohydrate store. Propolis originates from plant resins gathered from plant buds and bark, which bees mechanically process and use as a structural and biochemical material within the colony.
These differences explain why honey and propolis have traditionally been treated as entirely separate substances. Honey is food for bees. Propolis is not. Yet this factually correct separation overlooks one critical factor central to this discussion: both substances develop and exist within the same enclosed hive environment.
Before examining how propolis-derived compounds end up in honey, it is useful to look at the two substances separately, starting with honey.
Honey: nectar ripening inside the hive
Honey is made from plant nectar collected by bees. Nectar contains roughly 80% water and about 20% natural sugars, mainly fructose and glucose. Bees make and store honey in order to have enough food when there is little nectar available, particularly in winter. If stored as is, with such a high moisture level, the nectar would ferment and spoil. Because of this, bees dry out the nectar and store it as honey, preventing fermentation and ensuring colony survival.
To achieve this, bees actively reduce the moisture content of nectar through a process known as nectar ripening. Fresh nectar is placed into open cells, where bees fan their wings to create a steady flow of warm air through the hive. Warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, allowing water to evaporate efficiently from the nectar.
How nectar becomes honey
As ripening progresses, moisture levels fall to between 14–21%, depending on the floral source. Rapeseed honey often ripens to lower moisture levels, while heather honey may remain higher. Generally, moisture in honey is somewhere around 17-18%. Once the nectar has reached a stable moisture content, the bees seal the cell with beeswax to prevent the honey from reabsorbing water from the surrounding air.
This ripening phase is not instantaneous. Nectar can remain exposed inside the hive for extended periods, during which it is subject to the hive’s temperature, airflow, surfaces, and atmospheric chemistry. This exposure is central to understanding how propolis-derived compounds enter honey.
Propolis: plant resins processed for hive use
Propolis is made from antimicrobial plant resins collected by bees and mixed with beeswax and enzymes. It is applied to internal hive surfaces, cracks, cell walls and rims, forming a thin protective layer throughout the colony, often referred to as the propolis envelope – the colony’s communal immune system.
Bees do not ingest propolis, nor do they mix it into honey. Instead, propolis functions at a colony level, contributing to structural stability and microbial control within the hive environment. Its chemical composition is complex and includes both volatile and non-volatile compounds. These include polyphenols, flavonoids, phenolic acids, aromatic compounds, and waxes.
Two different substances, one shared environment
From a materials perspective, honey and propolis remain distinct. From an environmental perspective, however, they coexist within the same enclosed system. Honey is not produced in isolation. It is ripened, stored, and sealed in a hive that is lined with wax, coated with propolis, and filled with warm, circulating air.
This shared environment provides the missing link between honey and propolis.
Propolis compounds
Propolis contains both volatile and non-volatile compounds, which act in different ways within the hive. Non-volatile compounds are primarily active through direct contact via propolis-coated surfaces. Volatile and semi-volatile compounds, by contrast, disperse into the air within the hive.
Propolis is particularly rich in volatile compounds. These readily evaporate and circulate in the warm hive atmosphere, where they interact with other materials inside the colony. This volatility is a key part of propolis’ role in the colony’s antimicrobial defence system and is central to understanding how propolis-derived compounds move through the hive environment.
Propolis and brood viability
Scientific studies examining propolis-rich colonies have shown that the presence of a well-developed propolis envelope is associated with significantly higher antimicrobial activity in brood food. Research led by Renata Borba and Marla Spivak demonstrated that colonies with abundant propolis showed improved brood viability, longer-lived workers, and reduced activation of individual immune responses, despite bees not ingesting propolis or deliberately adding it to brood food.
This research provides a validated precedent. Compounds associated with propolis influence other hive substances through exposure within the hive environment, rather than through direct addition. It establishes that propolis does not remain chemically isolated, but affects brood food indirectly. This supports the plausibility of similar transfer pathways during honey ripening.
Borba, R.S., & Spivak, M. (2017). Propolis envelope in Apis mellifera colonies supports honey bees against the pathogen Paenibacillus larvae. Scientific Reports, 7, 11429.
The same exposure pathways during honey ripening
Ripening nectar is exposed to conditions comparable to those experienced by brood food. It sits in open cells for extended periods, in direct contact with propolis-lined comb surfaces and within warm hive air that contains volatile and semi-volatile compounds released from propolis. As nectar is dehydrated and transformed into honey, this prolonged exposure allows propolis-associated compounds to become incorporated into the honey matrix.
Recent analytical work has now demonstrated that at least some propolis-derived compounds enter honey through direct contact with propolis-coated comb surfaces during storage and ripening. Other compounds may also be transferred through atmospheric exposure within the hive. This is consistent with what is already known from brood food research. Importantly, this process does not require bees to physically add propolis to honey. It occurs passively, driven by contact, airflow, temperature, and time within the hive environment.
Bees commonly apply propolis around cell rims. Not only in brood areas but also in supers where honey is ripened and stored. This behaviour increases the surface contact between ripening honey and propolis-rich comb. It provides a direct interface through which certain propolis-derived compounds can transfer into stored nectar and honey.
Rather than being accidental, this propolisation reflects normal colony behaviour. It reinforces the role of the hive itself as an active biochemical environment shaping honey composition.
Consumer note: Naturally occurring compounds versus added propolis
It is important to distinguish between naturally occurring propolis-derived compounds present in honey as a result of hive processing, and honey to which propolis has been added after harvest. These are fundamentally different products.
In-hive transfer reflects normal bee behaviour, comb preparation, and honey ripening. Added propolis, by contrast, is a formulation choice made by the producer and should not be conflated with naturally incorporated compounds arising from hive biology.
Drawing the threads together
We began with a simple question: does honey contain propolis? What emerges from the evidence is not just a new answer, but a different way of looking at both honey and propolis.
Honey is already known to possess antimicrobial and antioxidant properties arising from its sugar concentration, acidity, peroxide activity, and plant-derived compounds. The demonstration that certain propolis-derived compounds can enter honey during ripening adds an additional layer of biological context. It also furthers our understanding of the hive environment in which it is processed, stored, and sealed.
We now know that while bees do not eat propolis in its raw, resinous form, they do consume it indirectly through honey. Perhaps more importantly, we now also know that propolis and honey were never truly separate. We simply lacked the tools to see how they connect.
What this means
This shift in understanding is bound to raise different questions for different people. Beekeepers may ask how hive design and management influence the formation of a propolis envelope. And also whether a propolis-rich environment changes the quality of the honey their colonies produce. Scientists will ask whether honey from propolis-rich colonies consistently contains higher levels of propolis-derived compounds than honey from propolis-poor colonies. Consumers will ask how they can be sure the honey they buy contains propolis-derived compounds to get the best honey available.
I will leave the first two questions for other beekeepers and scientists to answer. The third, however, does have a clear answer. There is no way to test for the presence of propolis in honey at home. However, because propolis-derived compounds only become part of honey when honey is made and ripened by bees inside the hive, the only way is to get real honey, made by real honeybees. In a market where much of what is sold as honey is diluted or adulterated with syrup, the only reliable way is to choose real, traceable honey from a reputable beekeeper.
Key takeaways
– Honey contains propolis-derived compounds that are not present in nectar alone – These compounds enter honey during normal ripening inside the hive – Transfer can occur through contact with propolis-lined comb and through hive exposure – Bees do not add propolis to honey, yet propolis does not remain chemically isolated – Honey is shaped not only by flowers, but by the hive environment itself – Only real, bee-made honey reflects this process
Further scientific reading
Urajová et al. (2025) Propolis as a Key Source of p-Coumaric Acid Permeating Honey and Sucrose Syrup Stores of Honey Bees Urajová, P., Krištůfek, V., & Krejčí, A. (2025). Insects, 16(11), 1159. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16111159
Combarros-Fuertes et al. (2019) Bioactive Components and Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Different Varieties of Honey: A Screening Prior to Clinical Application Combarros-Fuertes, P., Estevinho, L. M., Teixeira-Santos, R., et al. (2019). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 67(3), 688–698. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b05436
Hanna Bäckmo is an award-winning beekeeper, entrepreneur, hobby gardener and internationally published writer. Originally from a small island in Sweden, she now lives in East Cork with her son, two dogs, a flock of rescue chickens and lots of bees. Hanna is the founder of Hanna’s Bees, producing a unique range of natural and sustainable honey, propolis, and beeswax products sold in Ireland’s leading Gift & Artisan food stores and select US outlets. With 70 colonies of Native Irish honeybees, she is a passionate bee-advocate and educator and is an Ambassador for the Native Irish Honeybee.
Curious about the world of bees and honey? Join our newsletter to learn something new each week.
Is Crystallised Honey Safe to Eat? Yes! Not only is it safe to eat, it is often also much better than honey that remains liquid for months and even years and never crystallises.
Keeping a hive of honeybees at the end of the garden might sound like a lovely, relaxing, wholesome experience. Perhaps you’re dreaming about bees buzzing around the garden collecting nectar all summer long, and then getting a few pots of sweet honey at the end of the year. Sounds wonderful, right?
Does Honey Contain Propolis?
It has long been assumed that honey does not contain propolis. In fact, it is commonly taught to beginner beekeepers that this is the case. Honey and propolis are two entirely separate hive products, collected from different plant sources and serving different functions within the colony. Because bees don’t ingest propolis and don’t put it into honey, it was assumed that honey does not contain propolis.
However, scientists have now turned that assumption on its head. Analytical studies show that honey contains compounds that are not present in plant nectars but are present in propolis. This raises an obvious and important question. If bees do not physically add propolis to honey, how do propolis-derived compounds end up there at all?
Understanding this requires looking very closely at hive biology and the environment in which honey is made.
Honey and propolis: separate products, different roles
It is true that honey and propolis are derived from very different plant materials. Honey begins as floral nectar, collected by foraging bees and transformed inside the hive into a stable, long-term carbohydrate store. Propolis originates from plant resins gathered from plant buds and bark, which bees mechanically process and use as a structural and biochemical material within the colony.
These differences explain why honey and propolis have traditionally been treated as entirely separate substances. Honey is food for bees. Propolis is not. Yet this factually correct separation overlooks one critical factor central to this discussion: both substances develop and exist within the same enclosed hive environment.
Before examining how propolis-derived compounds end up in honey, it is useful to look at the two substances separately, starting with honey.
Honey: nectar ripening inside the hive
Honey is made from plant nectar collected by bees. Nectar contains roughly 80% water and about 20% natural sugars, mainly fructose and glucose. Bees make and store honey in order to have enough food when there is little nectar available, particularly in winter. If stored as is, with such a high moisture level, the nectar would ferment and spoil. Because of this, bees dry out the nectar and store it as honey, preventing fermentation and ensuring colony survival.
To achieve this, bees actively reduce the moisture content of nectar through a process known as nectar ripening. Fresh nectar is placed into open cells, where bees fan their wings to create a steady flow of warm air through the hive. Warm air can hold more moisture than cool air, allowing water to evaporate efficiently from the nectar.
How nectar becomes honey
As ripening progresses, moisture levels fall to between 14–21%, depending on the floral source. Rapeseed honey often ripens to lower moisture levels, while heather honey may remain higher. Generally, moisture in honey is somewhere around 17-18%. Once the nectar has reached a stable moisture content, the bees seal the cell with beeswax to prevent the honey from reabsorbing water from the surrounding air.
This ripening phase is not instantaneous. Nectar can remain exposed inside the hive for extended periods, during which it is subject to the hive’s temperature, airflow, surfaces, and atmospheric chemistry. This exposure is central to understanding how propolis-derived compounds enter honey.
Propolis: plant resins processed for hive use
Propolis is made from antimicrobial plant resins collected by bees and mixed with beeswax and enzymes. It is applied to internal hive surfaces, cracks, cell walls and rims, forming a thin protective layer throughout the colony, often referred to as the propolis envelope – the colony’s communal immune system.
Bees do not ingest propolis, nor do they mix it into honey. Instead, propolis functions at a colony level, contributing to structural stability and microbial control within the hive environment. Its chemical composition is complex and includes both volatile and non-volatile compounds. These include polyphenols, flavonoids, phenolic acids, aromatic compounds, and waxes.
Two different substances, one shared environment
From a materials perspective, honey and propolis remain distinct. From an environmental perspective, however, they coexist within the same enclosed system. Honey is not produced in isolation. It is ripened, stored, and sealed in a hive that is lined with wax, coated with propolis, and filled with warm, circulating air.
This shared environment provides the missing link between honey and propolis.
Propolis compounds
Propolis contains both volatile and non-volatile compounds, which act in different ways within the hive. Non-volatile compounds are primarily active through direct contact via propolis-coated surfaces. Volatile and semi-volatile compounds, by contrast, disperse into the air within the hive.
Propolis is particularly rich in volatile compounds. These readily evaporate and circulate in the warm hive atmosphere, where they interact with other materials inside the colony. This volatility is a key part of propolis’ role in the colony’s antimicrobial defence system and is central to understanding how propolis-derived compounds move through the hive environment.
Propolis and brood viability
Scientific studies examining propolis-rich colonies have shown that the presence of a well-developed propolis envelope is associated with significantly higher antimicrobial activity in brood food. Research led by Renata Borba and Marla Spivak demonstrated that colonies with abundant propolis showed improved brood viability, longer-lived workers, and reduced activation of individual immune responses, despite bees not ingesting propolis or deliberately adding it to brood food.
This research provides a validated precedent. Compounds associated with propolis influence other hive substances through exposure within the hive environment, rather than through direct addition. It establishes that propolis does not remain chemically isolated, but affects brood food indirectly. This supports the plausibility of similar transfer pathways during honey ripening.
Propolis envelope in Apis mellifera colonies supports honey bees against the pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae – PMC
Borba, R.S., & Spivak, M. (2017). Propolis envelope in Apis mellifera colonies supports honey bees against the pathogen Paenibacillus larvae. Scientific Reports, 7, 11429.
The same exposure pathways during honey ripening
Ripening nectar is exposed to conditions comparable to those experienced by brood food. It sits in open cells for extended periods, in direct contact with propolis-lined comb surfaces and within warm hive air that contains volatile and semi-volatile compounds released from propolis. As nectar is dehydrated and transformed into honey, this prolonged exposure allows propolis-associated compounds to become incorporated into the honey matrix.
Recent analytical work has now demonstrated that at least some propolis-derived compounds enter honey through direct contact with propolis-coated comb surfaces during storage and ripening. Other compounds may also be transferred through atmospheric exposure within the hive. This is consistent with what is already known from brood food research. Importantly, this process does not require bees to physically add propolis to honey. It occurs passively, driven by contact, airflow, temperature, and time within the hive environment.
Source: Propolis as a Key Source of p-Coumaric Acid Permeating Honey and Sucrose Syrup Stores of Honey Bees
Urajová, P., Krištůfek, V., & Krejčí, A. (2025). Propolis as a Key Source of p-Coumaric Acid Permeating Honey and Sucrose Syrup Stores of Honey Bees. Insects, 16(11), 1159.
Propolis around cell rims
Bees commonly apply propolis around cell rims. Not only in brood areas but also in supers where honey is ripened and stored. This behaviour increases the surface contact between ripening honey and propolis-rich comb. It provides a direct interface through which certain propolis-derived compounds can transfer into stored nectar and honey.
Rather than being accidental, this propolisation reflects normal colony behaviour. It reinforces the role of the hive itself as an active biochemical environment shaping honey composition.
Consumer note: Naturally occurring compounds versus added propolis
It is important to distinguish between naturally occurring propolis-derived compounds present in honey as a result of hive processing, and honey to which propolis has been added after harvest. These are fundamentally different products.
In-hive transfer reflects normal bee behaviour, comb preparation, and honey ripening. Added propolis, by contrast, is a formulation choice made by the producer and should not be conflated with naturally incorporated compounds arising from hive biology.
Drawing the threads together
We began with a simple question: does honey contain propolis? What emerges from the evidence is not just a new answer, but a different way of looking at both honey and propolis.
Honey is already known to possess antimicrobial and antioxidant properties arising from its sugar concentration, acidity, peroxide activity, and plant-derived compounds. The demonstration that certain propolis-derived compounds can enter honey during ripening adds an additional layer of biological context. It also furthers our understanding of the hive environment in which it is processed, stored, and sealed.
We now know that while bees do not eat propolis in its raw, resinous form, they do consume it indirectly through honey. Perhaps more importantly, we now also know that propolis and honey were never truly separate. We simply lacked the tools to see how they connect.
What this means
This shift in understanding is bound to raise different questions for different people. Beekeepers may ask how hive design and management influence the formation of a propolis envelope. And also whether a propolis-rich environment changes the quality of the honey their colonies produce. Scientists will ask whether honey from propolis-rich colonies consistently contains higher levels of propolis-derived compounds than honey from propolis-poor colonies. Consumers will ask how they can be sure the honey they buy contains propolis-derived compounds to get the best honey available.
I will leave the first two questions for other beekeepers and scientists to answer. The third, however, does have a clear answer. There is no way to test for the presence of propolis in honey at home. However, because propolis-derived compounds only become part of honey when honey is made and ripened by bees inside the hive, the only way is to get real honey, made by real honeybees. In a market where much of what is sold as honey is diluted or adulterated with syrup, the only reliable way is to choose real, traceable honey from a reputable beekeeper.
Key takeaways
– Honey contains propolis-derived compounds that are not present in nectar alone
– These compounds enter honey during normal ripening inside the hive
– Transfer can occur through contact with propolis-lined comb and through hive exposure
– Bees do not add propolis to honey, yet propolis does not remain chemically isolated
– Honey is shaped not only by flowers, but by the hive environment itself
– Only real, bee-made honey reflects this process
Further scientific reading
Urajová et al. (2025)
Propolis as a Key Source of p-Coumaric Acid Permeating Honey and Sucrose Syrup Stores of Honey Bees
Urajová, P., Krištůfek, V., & Krejčí, A. (2025). Insects, 16(11), 1159.
https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16111159
Borba & Spivak (2017)
Propolis Envelope in Apis mellifera Colonies Supports Honey Bees against the Pathogen Paenibacillus larvae
Borba, R. S., & Spivak, M. (2017). Scientific Reports, 7, 11429.
Propolis envelope in Apis mellifera colonies supports honey bees against the pathogen, Paenibacillus larvae – PMC
Combarros-Fuertes et al. (2019)
Bioactive Components and Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Different Varieties of Honey: A Screening Prior to Clinical Application
Combarros-Fuertes, P., Estevinho, L. M., Teixeira-Santos, R., et al. (2019). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 67(3), 688–698.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b05436
Karlıdağ (2025)
Investigation of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Properties in Honey, Pollen and Propolis According to Regional and Apis mellifera Genotypes
Karlıdağ, S. (2025). Food & Nutrition Research, 69.
Investigation of phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties in honey, pollen and propolis according to regional and Apis mellifera genotypes | Food & Nutrition Research
Hanna Bäckmo
Curious about the world of bees and honey? Join our newsletter to learn something new each week.
BEE-SPLAINING: Is It True You Should Never Use Metal Spoons with Honey?
Soft Set Honey – What is it & How is it Made?
BEE-SPLAINING: What is raw honey?
EU suspends honey imports from Brazil
Consumer guide to EU honey labelling regulations
Related Posts
Crystallised Honey – Why Does Honey Go Hard?
Is Crystallised Honey Safe to Eat? Yes! Not only is it safe to eat, it is often also much better than honey that remains liquid for months and even years and never crystallises.
Starting Beekeeping – 11 Things You Need to Know Before You Get Bees
Interested in starting beekeeping?
Keeping a hive of honeybees at the end of the garden might sound like a lovely, relaxing, wholesome experience. Perhaps you’re dreaming about bees buzzing around the garden collecting nectar all summer long, and then getting a few pots of sweet honey at the end of the year. Sounds wonderful, right?
Well, beekeeping isn’t really like that.