Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => Beekeeping 101 => Topic started by: ralph on February 20, 2014, 07:46:02 am

Title: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: ralph on February 20, 2014, 07:46:02 am
I'll let the picture do the talking. I got her up on my finger last year and took a picture. A lot of these things people say is rare to see. If you simply open a hive and spend time in it. These things can be seen all the time. :)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimageshack.com%2Fa%2Fimg59%2F4008%2Fg1qm.jpg&hash=396781d5e70068d127fcb48ec8d60571e5c35ffe)
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: G3farms on February 20, 2014, 08:50:51 am
Good pic Ralph , thanks for posting that. That little gal is ready to start building comb.
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: LazyBkpr on February 20, 2014, 09:04:24 am
That is a good picture!
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: ralph on February 20, 2014, 09:27:02 am
Good pic Ralph , thanks for posting that. That little gal is ready to start building comb.

Yep she had her day and it's gone. But i got thousands more follow ups just waiting to do the same. :)

Lookin forward to them days.
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: Riverrat on February 20, 2014, 10:21:21 am
nice pic
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: Perry on February 20, 2014, 11:23:36 am
So I wonder how they get those plates of wax up to their mandibles to soften and form into shape? Can they do it themselves, or do other bees pull off the flakes?
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: riverbee on February 20, 2014, 12:12:50 pm
from The Biology of The Honey Bee~Mark Winston:

"The liquid wax secreted from the glands collects on the wax mirrors and hardens into visible scales which are removed by brushing the spines on the hind basitarsi past the mirrors.  The leg holding the scale moves forward to the mandibles, which then manipulate the wax with the help of the forelegs for comb construction."
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: ralph on February 20, 2014, 12:15:03 pm
So I wonder how they get those plates of wax up to their mandibles to soften and form into shape? Can they do it themselves, or do other bees pull off the flakes?

I'll look for that this year. May be able to get a macro video of it in progress. I'm sure the other ones pull it off of them cause they don't even like to move when making wax. They just kinda stand around where needed.
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: mamapoppybee on February 20, 2014, 01:31:21 pm
love this a great pic and great info with it!
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: apisbees on February 20, 2014, 08:39:37 pm
Prime wax making age is when the bee is between 10 to 16 days old. The making of wax is not voluntary, but a forced reaction when the bees are forced to keep the nectar in their honey stomachs for longer than 24 hrs. bees will scavenge wax if they need it
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: G3farms on February 21, 2014, 02:08:55 am
Thanks Apis, I did not know that. That would answer the question of why swarms are comb building machines.
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: Edward on February 22, 2014, 12:42:34 am
Cool and informative  :photos: :nice:
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: kebee on February 22, 2014, 03:48:54 am
Now I know something I have been wonder about for a while, thanks.

Ken
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: Perry on February 22, 2014, 06:54:26 am
Prime wax making age is when the bee is between 10 to 16 days old. The making of wax is not voluntary, but a forced reaction when the bees are forced to keep the nectar in their honey stomachs for longer than 24 hrs. bees will scavenge wax if they need it

I didn't know that either. Good information.
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: blueblood on February 22, 2014, 12:32:31 pm
I think most folks that don't keep bees think the bee regurgitate wax.
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: Edward on February 22, 2014, 01:33:42 pm
Inspiration for a new label ?

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs12.postimg.cc%2F5d2rzuwcp%2Fbee_barf.jpg&hash=c3f46b1c135dba11c2c7cb4874a5476300cc4ce8) (http://postimg.cc/image/5d2rzuwcp/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs22.postimg.cc%2F9siayq3kd%2Fbee_barf.jpg&hash=478b04987e1a04613ef4c09b812768ea2290cfc0) (http://postimg.cc/image/9siayq3kd/)


mvh Edward  :P
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: iddee on February 22, 2014, 07:33:06 pm
I can assure you I would never buy it. That's like displaying chicken manure to sell fresh vegetables.
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: riverbee on February 22, 2014, 07:34:03 pm
thanks apis for chiming in on the age of the bee.

i posted a pdf file that describes beeswax production, age of the bee, how they move the wax scales, (from hind legs to mandilbles) and other great information on beeswax here:

Beeswax Production (http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php?topic=946.new#new)
Title: Re: The wax glands of the honey bee.
Post by: blueblood on February 22, 2014, 08:21:43 pm
Nice Edward, ha!