Honeybee collecting propolis. Note the clump of propolis on her hind leg.
What is propolis? Find out how honeybees make it & what they make it from in this short introduction to propolis, nature’s antiseptic marvel.
Honey bees are very good at doing what is best for them. To the chagrin of many a beekeeper they make propolis and coat the insides of their hives with it. This stuff is sticky. And the warmer it is, the stickier it gets. It gets everywhere. On your gloves and bee-suit, glasses, phone, and car-seat. On your good trousers and in your underwear. That’s right. Everywhere. And, as most beekeepers know only too well, when it gets somewhere it is nearly impossible to get off!
When I started beekeeping, I got the advice to keep the tops of the boxes and the lugs, or handles, of the frames and the frame runners clear of propolis. This was done in order to make inspections easier. So, I scraped it off. However, after a while I felt I was upsetting the bees too much. And by extension, them me, and I stopped. Knowing what I do now about the role that propolis plays in bee (and human) health, I am very glad I did!
What is propolis?
Propolis is made by honeybees from antimicrobial plant resin. The composition of propolis varies depending on the resin or resins that were used to make it. It contains resin and balsams (50–70%) and beeswax (30–50%). It also contains pollen, essential oils, aromatic oils, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, phenolics, and flavonoids.
Propolis is renowned for its potent anti-microbial and anti-viral properties. Honeybees use it in a lot of different ways, from waterproofing and draft prevention to encapsulating intruders and pests. It also plays a hugely important part in honeybee health by contributing to the colony immune system. Furthermore, propolis has been used for thousands of years to support immune health in humans and as a natural antioxidant. (To read more about its benefits and uses in ancient and modern medicine click here – What are the health benefits of propolis?)
Origin of the word propolis
The word propolis derives from Greek. It is made up of the words: “pro”, meaning for defence or in defence, and “polis”, meaning city. Ergo, propolis translates as: for defense of the hive.
What is plant resin?
Resins are part of the plants’ protection in response to vulnerability (new growth and leaf buds) and injury (cuts and breaks). The resin contains volatile compounds that detract animals and pathogens. These volatile compounds also attract benefactors that prey or parasitise on animals that attack the plant. Honeybees collect these resins and mix them with beeswax to make propolis.
Many plants produce resins that are available to honeybees, including poplar species, birch, horse chestnut and coniferous trees. The compounds contained in resin vary considerably between species, even within species and between neighbouring trees of the same species.
The composition of each resin is very complex. It has been shown that one single sample can contain up to 300 separate compounds and traces. Furthermore, studies have shown that honeybees actively select specific (chemo)types of plants and recruit worker bees to forage on these. Even though bees may prefer certain resin, they gather it from other sources also.
Various resins have different anti-microbial properties. Hence, by using resin from a wide spectrum of sources, honeybees ensure better protection against different pathogens. Scientists are questioning whether honeybees not only seek out individual plants for the specific mixture of compounds in their resin, but if they also deliberately wound or secret microbes into plants to either trigger or maintain its production of resin and/or alter its chemical composition.
How do honeybees collect resin for propolis?
Collecting resin is hard work for bees. Consequently, it often takes half an hour to an hour to collect one load. The resin is scraped from plants with the mandibles and moved to the hind legs of the bees. Because it is so sticky, the resin foragers cannot offload the resin themselves. Hence, you can often see them on the tops of frames waiting for another bee to help them.
Once the resin is removed from the pollen baskets, it is mixed with wax and saliva. The bees then deposit it inside the hive. In a healthy colony, there is only a small number of resin collectors. They make up less than 1% of the total foraging force.
Honeybees collect resin throughout the active season, with an increase towards the end of summer. This is part of the bees’ winter preparations. They use propolis to fill cracks and regulate airflow, as well as maintaining a healthy colony and fighting disease.
Commercial and medical uses for propolis
Thanks to modern day science, we now know that propolis has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-fungal and immunomodulatory properties. Both in relation to honeybee health and human health. Medical professionals use propolis in topical applications, tinctures, mouth sprays and mouthwashes. Propolis is also used as a dietary supplement to help boost the immune system and in hair and skincare. The list of its uses as a home remedy is quite exhaustive.
I hope you enjoyed reading this short article. For more on propolis, please see the following Blogs:
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.
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Honey and propolis are often treated as separate hive products. Research now shows that propolis-derived compounds enter honey during ripening, changing how we understand both honey, propolis and what happens inside the hive.
When making beeswax candles, wick choice is everything. This practical guide explains how to choose the right wick for beeswax candles, how to test them for a clean, even burn, and why proper wick care makes all the difference.
What is Propolis?
What is propolis? Find out how honeybees make it & what they make it from in this short introduction to propolis, nature’s antiseptic marvel.
Honey bees are very good at doing what is best for them. To the chagrin of many a beekeeper they make propolis and coat the insides of their hives with it. This stuff is sticky. And the warmer it is, the stickier it gets. It gets everywhere. On your gloves and bee-suit, glasses, phone, and car-seat. On your good trousers and in your underwear. That’s right. Everywhere. And, as most beekeepers know only too well, when it gets somewhere it is nearly impossible to get off!
When I started beekeeping, I got the advice to keep the tops of the boxes and the lugs, or handles, of the frames and the frame runners clear of propolis. This was done in order to make inspections easier. So, I scraped it off. However, after a while I felt I was upsetting the bees too much. And by extension, them me, and I stopped. Knowing what I do now about the role that propolis plays in bee (and human) health, I am very glad I did!
What is propolis?
Propolis is made by honeybees from antimicrobial plant resin. The composition of propolis varies depending on the resin or resins that were used to make it. It contains resin and balsams (50–70%) and beeswax (30–50%). It also contains pollen, essential oils, aromatic oils, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, phenolics, and flavonoids.
Propolis is renowned for its potent anti-microbial and anti-viral properties. Honeybees use it in a lot of different ways, from waterproofing and draft prevention to encapsulating intruders and pests. It also plays a hugely important part in honeybee health by contributing to the colony immune system. Furthermore, propolis has been used for thousands of years to support immune health in humans and as a natural antioxidant. (To read more about its benefits and uses in ancient and modern medicine click here – What are the health benefits of propolis?)
Origin of the word propolis
The word propolis derives from Greek. It is made up of the words: “pro”, meaning for defence or in defence, and “polis”, meaning city. Ergo, propolis translates as: for defense of the hive.
What is plant resin?
Resins are part of the plants’ protection in response to vulnerability (new growth and leaf buds) and injury (cuts and breaks). The resin contains volatile compounds that detract animals and pathogens. These volatile compounds also attract benefactors that prey or parasitise on animals that attack the plant. Honeybees collect these resins and mix them with beeswax to make propolis.
Many plants produce resins that are available to honeybees, including poplar species, birch, horse chestnut and coniferous trees. The compounds contained in resin vary considerably between species, even within species and between neighbouring trees of the same species.
The composition of each resin is very complex. It has been shown that one single sample can contain up to 300 separate compounds and traces. Furthermore, studies have shown that honeybees actively select specific (chemo)types of plants and recruit worker bees to forage on these. Even though bees may prefer certain resin, they gather it from other sources also.
Various resins have different anti-microbial properties. Hence, by using resin from a wide spectrum of sources, honeybees ensure better protection against different pathogens. Scientists are questioning whether honeybees not only seek out individual plants for the specific mixture of compounds in their resin, but if they also deliberately wound or secret microbes into plants to either trigger or maintain its production of resin and/or alter its chemical composition.
How do honeybees collect resin for propolis?
Collecting resin is hard work for bees. Consequently, it often takes half an hour to an hour to collect one load. The resin is scraped from plants with the mandibles and moved to the hind legs of the bees. Because it is so sticky, the resin foragers cannot offload the resin themselves. Hence, you can often see them on the tops of frames waiting for another bee to help them.
Once the resin is removed from the pollen baskets, it is mixed with wax and saliva. The bees then deposit it inside the hive. In a healthy colony, there is only a small number of resin collectors. They make up less than 1% of the total foraging force.
Honeybees collect resin throughout the active season, with an increase towards the end of summer. This is part of the bees’ winter preparations. They use propolis to fill cracks and regulate airflow, as well as maintaining a healthy colony and fighting disease.
Commercial and medical uses for propolis
Thanks to modern day science, we now know that propolis has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-fungal and immunomodulatory properties. Both in relation to honeybee health and human health. Medical professionals use propolis in topical applications, tinctures, mouth sprays and mouthwashes. Propolis is also used as a dietary supplement to help boost the immune system and in hair and skincare. The list of its uses as a home remedy is quite exhaustive.
I hope you enjoyed reading this short article. For more on propolis, please see the following Blogs:
Why is propolis important for bees?
Health benefits of Propolis
How to Use Propolis
How to Make Propolis Tincture
You can also purchase Irish Propolis Tincture in our online shop.
/Hanna
Hanna Bäckmo
Curious about the world of bees and honey? Join our newsletter to learn something new each week.
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Honey and propolis are often treated as separate hive products. Research now shows that propolis-derived compounds enter honey during ripening, changing how we understand both honey, propolis and what happens inside the hive.
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