The wax glands of the honey bee.

[ralph]

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.

[G3farms]

Good pic Ralph , thanks for posting that. That little gal is ready to start building comb.

[LazyBkpr]

That is a good picture!

[ralph]

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.

[Riverrat]

nice pic

[Perry]

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?

[riverbee]

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."

[ralph]

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.

[mamapoppybee]

love this a great pic and great info with it!

[apisbees]

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

[G3farms]

Thanks Apis, I did not know that. That would answer the question of why swarms are comb building machines.

[Edward]

Cool and informative 

[kebee]

Now I know something I have been wonder about for a while, thanks.

Ken

[Perry]

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.

[blueblood]

I think most folks that don't keep bees think the bee regurgitate wax.

[Edward]

Inspiration for a new label ?






mvh Edward 

[iddee]

I can assure you I would never buy it. That's like displaying chicken manure to sell fresh vegetables.

[riverbee]

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

[blueblood]

Nice Edward, ha!