Beeswax

honey bees · natural materials · builders

Made by bees themselves. Worker bees have eight tiny glands in their bellies that produce small wax scales. The bees chew and soften these scales to shape them into the perfect building blocks.

Builds the hive home. Bees use beeswax to create hexagonal cells, which are six-sided rooms that fit together perfectly like a puzzle. These cells store honey and protect baby bees as they grow.

Special chemistry. Beeswax is made of chemicals called esters and long-chain alcohols that make it hard enough to keep its shape but soft enough for bees to mold. This perfect balance is why it works so well as a building material.

Recycled and reused. When bees clean out old cells, they collect the beeswax and use it again to make new cells. A single hive might use and reuse the same wax many times.

Useful to humans too. People have used beeswax for thousands of years to make candles, polish, and other products because it burns cleanly and smells wonderful.