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ropolis (bee glue) comes from a sticky resinous substance from leaf buds, twigs and tree bark.
Our honeybees collect these resins as a basic material from poplars, birches, pine trees and carry it to their hives, the same way as they carry pollen.
After the resin is chewed by the honeybee and mixed with their salivary secretions, wax flakes and other substances this finished product is called "Propolis".
The colour of propolis ranges from yellow to dark brown depending on the origin of the resins. But, even transparent propolis has been reported by Coggshall and Morse (1984).
The bees use this material for two very specific and important purposes:
The main role of propolis is the protection of bees against disease. Bees coat every inch of the internal walls of their hives with a thin layer of propolis to sterilize the comb and keep their hives free of bacteria. The hive is an enclosed unit, it is hot and moist, the perfect breeding ground for microorganisms. Because of the propolis, the hive is virtually free of bacteria, mold and mildew.
Also to protect the young larva, bees use propolis as an antiseptic lining in breeder cells before the Queen lays her eggs.
Propolis has also been shown to kill American foulbrood (Bacillus larvae), the most important bacterial disease of bees (Mlagan and Sulimanovic, 1982).
Therefore propolis is of vital importance for the survival of the bees.