BEESWAX FACTS and INFORMATION

BEESWAX INFORMATION

Beeswax is produced when honeybees consume honey. It takes about 8 1/2 lbs of honey to produce one pound of beeswax.

Honeybees collect nectar from approximately two million flowers to make one pound of honey, so nectar is collected from 17 million flowers to make 8 1/2 pounds of honey to make one pound of beeswax!

Beeswax is secreted in the form of a scale about the size of a pinhead by worker bees that are 12 to 18 days old. The worker honeybee has eight wax secreting glands under its abdomen. It takes about 800,000 scales to make one pound of beeswax.

The bees wax scale when first secreted is tasteless, odorless, and almost colorless. Beeswax obtains its "natural" color of light to golden yellow due to propolis and pollen collected by the honeybees. The distinctive fragrance of bee wax is obtained from the propolis brought into the hive, and the storage of pollen and honey in the honeycomb.

Beeswax has a melting point between 146 and 149 degrees Farenheit.

Over time, bees wax will develop a whitish coating called bloom. This is the result of softer oils rising

to the surface. Rubbing the candle with a soft cloth or warming with a hair dryer will remove candle bloom. Once removed, bloom will again reappear on pure beeswax. Bloom has no effect on how your bees wax candle will burn.

Burning of beeswax candles produces a white rounded flame, giving a wonderful warm glow.

For proper burning of bees wax candles, trim wick to 1/4" before burning each time. Keep burning candles away from drafts. Keep candle wick centered.

When burning pillars, burn for about one hour per inch in diameter. After extinguishing the candle flame and your candle has cooled warm to the touch, gently mold candle edges inward if needed with damp fingers.

We use only 100% cotton wick. No lead or metal wick is used in our candles.

Burn candles only in a fireproof container. Never leave a burning candle unattended. A burning candle needs your attention.

Some uses of bees wax are: candle making, batik, fly tying, waxing wooden windows and drawers, quilting, cosmetics, furniture polish, leather boot conditioner, marble repair, and coating cookie sheets.

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