Will bees recycle wax?

[DMLinton]

I posed this question somewhere previously (forgot where) and the answer was "No!".  However, was just reading http://www.worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/index.php/topic,1728.msg23016.html#msg23016 and Scott and River seem to saying that, in fact, bees will strip and move wax.  Would this apply also to a block of wax or wax shavings provided?  I ask because I am starting from scratch and want to exploit all the options that may be available to help ensure some success.

[iddee]

Bees will, on a small scale, move and reuse wax. They will not take wax and make comb in any appreciable amount. Install foundation during a dearth and they will eat large holes in it. Lay a piece of comb in the hive and it will not be used for comb building.

[DMLinton]

Ah, I see. Thanks, iddee.

[Bamabww]

I thought they would recycle it at first but found it to work exactly as Iddee stated. I placed my cappings for them to use after I had drained all the honey out I could possibly get and they simply cleaned up the wax by removing the honey I left behind. The result was dry wax which is a lot less messy than before the bees cleaned it up.

But they did not recycle it even when I put it inside the hive in a feeder. They did the same thing, removed the honey and scattered the wax out dry and left it there.

[LazyBkpr]

Looks like Iddee and Bama Covered it...  youi can lead a horse to water type of thing.. if you put wax in the hive for them they would probably still go strip a spot in another frame.  Like Iddee said, if they need a bit here and there during a dearth they may re purpose it, doesnt usually happen during a flow or when being fed.... usually....

[G3farms]

As Iddee said, not on any kind of a scale. Foundation in the hive will be stripped when a dearth is going on and also if there are not enough young bees to produce wax for comb building. I use wax foundation and there is definitely a flow going on now and still have found foundation chewed away to the bare wires.

They will do propolis the same way, I like to watch them pack it in the baskets.