Beeswax furniture polish
March 18, 2014Where does beeswax come from?
With it’s use in beeswax furniture polish, have you ever wondered precisely where beeswax comes from? Sounds like a pretty obvious question – just from the name itself, beeswax comes from bees! But just how do the bees do it?
Studies of the behaviour of bees have found that these insects really have to produce beeswax – it is very important to the whole colony because it is what is used in making the honeycombs. Honeycombs have a number of essential uses – the bees nurture the young ones in honeycombs, they serve as the warehouse and storeroom of the pollen that is collected, as well as the honey that the whole colony will be using up during colder months when there are no more flower in bloom.
Not all the bees in a colony create beeswax – only the worker bees do. They have 4 pairs of glands on the underside of their abdomens which secrete pinhead sized flakes of wax. The wax is naturally white and is stained by the pollen, gums, resins and other things that bees collect. Unlike honey or pollen, wax is made naturally by the bee’s body and does not have to be gathered from other ingredients. Once the wax is secreted, the bee gathers it up and masticates, or chews, it until the wax is the texture and consistency the bee needs.
The business of harvesting honey and beeswax is a messy one! The beekeeper removes the frames from the hive, and uses a heated knife to melt through the wax caps and cut them off. The honey and pollen are recovered from the comb which is drained, and the remaining wax is added to a hot water bath for rendering.
A lot happens to wax in a beehive. Particles of pollen are rubbed in, other impurities are present, and the wax is subject to aging and oxidation. As a result it needs to be rendered before it can be used. This is done by placing pieces of the comb into water hot enough to melt the wax. Once melted, it is collected from the surface of the water and filtered. Depending on where the bees live and what kind of flowers they visit, the beeswax can range from a warm golden yellow to dark brown. Once cooled, the wax is ready for use!
One of the most wonderful uses for beeswax is as an additive to beeswax furniture polish, such as Bermagui Oil. It is easier to use, needing less “elbow grease”, it doesn’t produce unsightly build up, and a little Bermagui Oil goes a long way!
