6.18 Collection Of Propolis Flashcards
What is the annual requirement of propolis of a colony?
100g
What is propolis made of?
50-80% resin and 20-50% beeswax - the consistency changes geographically
List some plant species that provide resin for propolis?
Horse chestnut, alder, conifers
How is resin collected?
It is either nibbled off buds on cold days or is pulled off when viscous and warm. Using her forelegs she kneads it into a lump and this is transferred by her mid leg to her hind leg.
Rather than on the hindleg how else may resin be brought back to the hive
In her mandibles
What do resin collectors do upon returning to the hive?
They will not visit the dance floor but move to where work is being undertaken. Wokrers will remove the load by nibbling bits off or the foragers will use it herself.
Where do waggle dances for resin take place?
They are carried out nearer to where the work is required rather than the dance floor for pollen and nectar
How do worker sense the need for propolis?
• Knowing the time it takes to be unloaded
• Using the resin themselves and not being able to find a place to use it (directly sensed)
How is propolis collection different from nectar, water and pollen?
Resin foragers have direct awanress of the requirement for proplis whilst everyone else has indirect awareness
What is caulking, when talking about propolis?
This is where the resin user uses her mouth to force resin into crevices
How are gaps and crevices in the nest detected?
Antennae are placed in the gaps
What is the propolis envelop?
This is the layer of propolis that the colony places around the nest when it moves in. It is usually less than 1mm thick. The bees in a swarm will move in and chew the surface of the cavity before laying it down
How can the propolis envelope help the colony?
It can increase the colony health. Bees living in nests with these means that they have fewer immune gene expressions as there is not a high pathogen load and this allows bees to allocate more energy to other tasks.
What are the uses of propolis?
Filling in cracks, embalming intruders, strengthening comb where it joins the ceiling
