For the rock song by Nirvana, see Beeswax (song).

Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the bee hive of honey bees of the genus Apis. A beehive is in a general sense an enclosed structure in which some species of Honey bees (genus Apis) live and raise their young This article refers collectively to all true honey bees for the "common" domesticated honey bee see European honey bee Honey bees Beeswax is produced by young worker bees between 12 and 17 days old in the form of thin scales secreted by glands on the ventral surface of the abdomen. A Worker bee is any female Eusocial bee that lacks the full reproductive capacity of the colony's Queen bee; under most circumstances this is correlated to an increase A gland is an organ in an animal's body that synthesizes a substance for release such as Hormones or Breast milk, often into the Bloodstream In Vertebrates such as Mammals the abdomen (belly constitutes the part of the body between the Thorax (chest and Pelvis. Worker bees have eight wax-producing mirror glands on the inner sides of the sternites (the ventral shield or plate of each segment of the body) on abdominal segments 4 to 7. The sternum (pl "sterna" is the Ventral portion of a segment of an Arthropod Thorax or Abdomen. In fields of Anatomy, anatomical terms of location are descriptive terms to help identify relative positions or directions within a species The size of these wax glands depends on the age of the worker and after daily flights begin these glands gradually atrophy. The new wax scales are initially glass-clear and colourless (see illustration), becoming opaque after mastication by the worker bee. The wax of honeycomb is nearly white, but becomes progressively more yellow or brown by incorporation of pollen oils and propolis. Pollen is a fine to coarse powder consisting of microgametophytes ( pollen grains) which produce the male Gametes (sperm cells of Propolis is a resinous mixture that bees collect from tree buds sap flows or other botanical sources The wax scales are about 3 mm across and 0. 1 mm thick, and about 1100 are required to make a gram of wax. ^[1]

Western honey bees use the beeswax to build honeycomb cells in which their young are raised and honey and pollen are stored. A honeycomb is a mass of Hexagonal Wax cells built by Honey bees in their nests to contain their larvae and stores of Honey and Honey is a sweet and Viscous fluid produced by Honey bees (and some other species and derived from the nectar of Flowers According to the Pollen is a fine to coarse powder consisting of microgametophytes ( pollen grains) which produce the male Gametes (sperm cells of For the wax-making bees to secrete wax, the ambient temperature in the hive has to be 33 to 36 °C (91 to 97 °F). To produce their wax, bees must consume about eight times as much honey by mass. It is estimated that bees fly 150,000 miles to yield one pound of beeswax (530,000 km/kg). When beekeepers extract the honey, they cut off the wax caps from each honeycomb cell with an uncapping knife or machine. A beekeeper is a person who keeps Honey bees for the purposes of securing commodities such as Honey, Beeswax, Pollen; pollinating Its color varies from nearly white to brownish, but most often a shade of yellow, depending on purity and the type of flowers gathered by the bees. Wax from the brood comb of the honey bee hive tends to be darker than wax from the honeycomb. The brood comb is the Beeswax structure of cells where the Queen bee lays eggs A beehive is in a general sense an enclosed structure in which some species of Honey bees (genus Apis) live and raise their young Impurities accumulate more quickly in the brood comb. Due to the impurities, the wax has to be rendered before further use. The leftovers are called slumgum. Slumgum is a term used in Beekeeping. Slumgum is the residue of the Beeswax rendering process

The wax may further be clarified by heating in water and may then be used for candles or as a lubricant for drawers and windows or as a wood polish. A candle is a Light source and sometimes a Heat source consisting of a solid block of Fuel and an embedded wick. As with petroleum waxes, it may be softened by dilution with vegetable oil to make it more workable at room temperature.

Contents 1 Physical characteristics 2 Uses as a product 3 Historical use 4 Trivia 5 References 6 See also 7 References

Physical characteristics

Beeswax is a tough wax formed from a mixture of several compounds. Wax has traditionally referred to a substance that is secreted by Bees ( Beeswax) and used by them in constructing their A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more different elements chemically bonded together in a fixed proportion by Mass.

Wax Content Type	Percent
hydrocarbons	14%
monoesters	35%
diesters	14%
triesters	3%
hydroxy monoesters	4%
hydroxy polyesters	8%
acid esters	1%
acid polyesters	2%
free acids	12%
free alcohols	1%
unidentified	6%

The main components are palmitate, palmitoleate, hydroxypalmitate[1] and oleate esters of long-chain (30-32 carbons) aliphatic alcohols, with the ratio of triacontanylpalmitate CH₃(CH₂)₂₉O-CO-(CH₂)₁₄CH₃ to cerotic acid[2] CH₃(CH₂)₂₄COOH, the two principal components, being 6:1. In Organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an Organic compound consisting entirely of Hydrogen and Carbon. Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least Polyester is a category of Polymers which contain the Ester Functional group in their main chain Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least Polyester is a category of Polymers which contain the Ester Functional group in their main chain In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon Palmitic acid,CH3(CH214COOH or hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature, is one of the most common saturated Fatty acids found in animals Palmitoleic acid, or ( Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid is an omega-7 monounsaturated Fatty acid that is a common constituent of the Glycerides Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least In Chemistry, an alcohol is any Organic compound in which a Hydroxyl group ( - O[[hydrogen H]]) is bound to a Carbon Palmitic acid,CH3(CH214COOH or hexadecanoic acid in IUPAC nomenclature, is one of the most common saturated Fatty acids found in animals

Beeswax has a high melting point range, of 62 to 64 °C (144 to 147 °F). The melting point of a solid is the temperature range at which it changes state from solid to Liquid. If beeswax is heated above 85 °C (185 °F) discoloration occurs. The flash point of beeswax is 204. The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest Temperature at which it can form an ignitable mixture in air 4 °C (400 °F), there is no reported autoignition temperature. The autoignition temperature or kindling point of a substance is the lowest temperature at which it will spontaneously ignite in a normal atmosphere without an external ^[2] Density at 15 °C is 0. The density of a material is defined as its Mass per unit Volume: \rho = \frac{m}{V} Different materials usually have different 958 to 0. 970 g/cm³.

Bee wax can be classified generally into European and Oriental types. The ratio of saponification value is lower (3-5) for European beeswax, and higher (8-9) for Oriental types. Saponification value (or "saponification number" also referred to as "sap" in short represents the number of milligrams of Potassium hydroxide or

Hydroxyoctacosanyl hydroxystearate can be used as a beeswax substitute as a consistency regulator and emulsion stabilizer. An emulsion ( IPA: /ɪˈmʌlʃən/ is a mixture of two Immiscible (unblendable liquids In Chemistry a stabilizer is a chemical which tends to inhibit the reaction between two or more other chemicals Japan wax is another substitute. Japan wax is a pale-yellow waxy water-insoluble solid with a gummy feel obtained from the berries of certain Sumacs native to Japan and China, such as

Uses as a product

Beeswax is used commercially to make fine candles, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals including bone wax (cosmetics and pharmaceuticals account for 60% of total consumption), in polishing materials (particularly shoe polish and furniture polish) and as a component of modelling waxes. A candle is a Light source and sometimes a Heat source consisting of a solid block of Fuel and an embedded wick. A drug, broadly speaking is any chemical substance that when absorbed into the body Bone wax is made of Beeswax containing a softening agent such as paraffin It is commonly used during the assembly of pool tables to fill the screw holes and the seams between the slates. Accordion makers use beeswax as an adhesive, when blended with pine rosin, to attach reed plates to the structure inside an accordion. Beeswax candles are preferred in most Eastern Orthodox churches because they burn cleanly, with little or no wax dripping down the sides and little visible smoke. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Smoke is the collection of airborne solid and liquid Particulates and Gases ref> ''Smoke Production and Properties'' - SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering Beeswax is also prescribed as the material (or at least a significant part of the material) for the Paschal candle ("Easter Candle") and is recommended for other candles used in the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. This article describes the Paschal candle of the Western Churches A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group according to their particular traditions

It is also used as a coating for cheese, to protect the food as it ages. Cheese is a Food made from Milk, usually the milk of cows, Buffalo, Goats or sheep, by coagulation. While some cheese-makers have replaced it with plastic, many still use beeswax in order to avoid any unpleasant flavors that may result from plastic. Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products As a food additive, beeswax is known as E901 (glazing agent). E numbers are number codes for Food additives and are usually found on Food labels throughout the European Union. Glazing agents, or polishing agents, are Food additives providing shiny appearance or protective coating to foods

The burning characteristics of beeswax candles differ from those of paraffin. A beeswax candle flame has a "warmer," more yellow color than that of paraffin, and the color of the flame may vary depending on the season in which the wax was harvested.

Beeswax is also an ingredient in moustache wax, as well as dreadlock wax, and was used in the manufacturing of the cylinders used by the earliest phonographs. ‎ Moustache wax is a stiff Pomade applied to a Moustache as a grooming aid to hold the hairs in place especially at the extremities Dreadlocks, also called locks or dreads, are interlocked coils of Hair which form by themselves in all hair types if the hair is allowed to grow naturally

As a skin care product a German study found beeswax to be superior to similar "barrier creams" (usually mineral oil based creams, such as petroleum jelly), when used according to its protocol. Petroleum jelly, petrolatum or soft paraffin is a Semi-solid mixture of Hydrocarbons (with Carbon numbers mainly higher than 25 ^[3]

Historical use

Beeswax was ancient man's first plastic, and for thousands of years has been used as a modeling material, to create sculpture and jewelry molds for use in the lost-wax casting process, or Cire perdue. Jewellery (also spelled jewelry, see spelling differences) is a personal Ornament, such as a necklace ring or bracelet made from Gemstones Molding is the process of Manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a pattern. Lost-wax casting, sometimes called by the French name of cire perdue, is the process by which a bronze is cast from an artist's sculpture in industrial uses the modern process ^[4]

Lost wax casting of metals, practised by ancient Greeks and Romans, involved coating of a wax model with plaster, melting the wax out of the resulting mould and filling the space with molten metal. Lost-wax casting, sometimes called by the French name of cire perdue, is the process by which a bronze is cast from an artist's sculpture in industrial uses the modern process The M acro E xpansion T emplate A ttribute L anguage complements TAL, providing macros which allow the reuse of code across The term plaster can refer to plaster of Paris Lime plaster, or Cement plaster. The technique is still used today by jewellers, goldsmiths and sculptors, in dentistry and even in the industrial manufacture of complex components by investment casting of metals. Dentistry' is the "evaluation diagnosis prevention and/or treatment (nonsurgical surgical or related procedures of diseases disorders and/or conditions of the oral cavity For investment casting in art see Lost-wax casting. Investment casting, also called Lost-wax casting, is one of the oldest known

The Romans sent messages on hinged pairs of wooden writing tablets coated with beeswax, the message being written into the smooth wax surface using a stylus. A wax tablet ( tabula) is a Tablet made of wood and covered with a layer of Wax. A stylus (plural styli or styluses) is a Writing utensil. The word is also used for a computer accessory ( PDAs) After it had been read the message could be erased, and a reply written and returned.

Beeswax has been used since ancient times; traces of it were found in the paintings in the Lascaux cave and in Egyptian mummies. Lascaux is the setting of a complex of Caves in southwestern France famous for its prehistoric Cave paintings The original caves are located near A mummy is a Corpse whose Skin and Flesh have been preserved by either intentional or Incidental exposure to Chemicals extreme Egyptians used it in shipbuilding as well. This article is about the contemporary North African ethnic group In the Roman period, beeswax was used as waterproofing agent for painted walls and as a medium for the Fayum mummy portraits. Waterproof or water-resistant describes objects unaffected by water or resisting water passage or which are covered with a material that resists or does not allow water passage Mummy portraits or Fayum mummy portraits (also Faiyum mummy portraits) is the modern term for a type of realistic painted Portraits on wooden boards Nations subjugated by Rome sometimes paid tribute or taxes in beeswax. In the Middle Ages beeswax was considered valuable enough to become a form of currency. A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is It was also used in bow making (see English longbow). A bowyer is someone who makes or sells bows. History Historically a huge variety of bows have been produced for food gathering warfare and recreation The English longbow, also called the Welsh longbow, was a powerful type of medieval Longbow (a tall bow for Archery) about 6 ft

More recently it found use as a component of sealing wax, and in cosmetics. Sealing wax is a material which after melting quickly hardens (to paper parchment ribbons and wire and other material forming a bond that cannot be separated without noticeable tampering Beeswax is also the traditional material from which to make didgeridoo mouthpieces and the frets on the Philippine kutiyapi, a type of boat lute. The didgeridoo (also known as a didjeridu or didge) is a wind instrument of the Indigenous Australians of northern Australia. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The kutiyapi, a Philippine two-stringed fretted boat- Lute, is the only stringed instrument among the Maguindanaon It is four to six feet long with nine Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck (either Fretted or unfretted and a deep round back or more specifically to an instrument from

Beeswax has been used for hundreds of years as a sealant or lubricant for bullets in cap and ball and firearms that use black powder. A lubricant (sometimes referred to as a "Lube" is a substance (often a liquid introduced between two moving surfaces to reduce the Friction between them improving A bullet is a solid Projectile propelled by a Firearm or Air gun and is normally made from metal (usually Lead) A firearm is a Tool that projects either single or multiple Projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion Gunpowder is a an explosive mixture of Sulfur, Charcoal and Potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter that burns rapidly producing volumes It is often mixed with other ingredients such as olive oil (sweet oil) and sometimes paraffin. Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees In chemistry paraffin is the common name for the Alkane Hydrocarbons with the general formula C n H2 n +2 It can be used as an ingredient in the bullet lube used primarily in Black Powder cartridge firing weapons.

Trivia

• The saying "Tis none of your beeswax" meaning "none of your business" became popular in the 1920s after being spoken by Nanette in the 1925 musical comedy No, No, Nanette. Musical theatre is a form of Theatre combining Music, Songs spoken Dialogue and Dance. No No Nanette is a Musical comedy with lyrics by Irving Caesar and Otto Harbach, music by Vincent Youmans, and a book by Otto Harbach Another saying is "Mind your own beeswax".
• Beeswax is the title of a song by the band Nirvana. Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen Washington.

References

See also

• Apis mellifera
• Ester
• Encaustic painting
• Paraffin
• Carnauba wax
• Bone wax

• Apitherapy News

References

• The chemistry of bees Joel Loveridge, School of Chemistry University of Bristol accessed Nov 2005

Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least For encaustic tiles see Encaustic tile Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated Beeswax to In chemistry paraffin is the common name for the Alkane Hydrocarbons with the general formula C n H2 n +2 Carnauba is a Wax derived from the leaves of the Carnauba palm ( Copernicia prunifera) a plant native to and grown only in the northeastern Brazilian Bone wax is made of Beeswax containing a softening agent such as paraffin the University (or derivatives but lower-case when referring to many universitiesor universities

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