Why do bees collect resin? How do they use it?
Bees use resin for the production of propolis but also for other reasons: let's find out which ones
Observing the behavior of bees , we notice that during the harvesting phase, the swarms bring multiple substances into the hive. The foraging bees collect pollen and nectar from the flowers which they will later transform into honey .
In addition to this, their collection activity also focuses on other substances such as resin. The resin is taken from tree bark , some buds or plants.
This is the main element for the production of propolis by bees. Furthermore, according to some studies, bees use the collected resins, also to carry out self-medication processes. But we will analyze this later.
How bees produce propolis
As we understand then, to produce propolis, the main ingredient is resin. But specifically, how do bees process this substance?
When bees collect resin from bark and plants, they create small balls which are then kneaded together with their saliva and particular enzymes they produce.
Since the resin is really sticky, when the foraging bees return to the hive, the companions help them to remove residues of the substance that have remained attached to the body or legs.
Specific composition of propolis
Analyzing propolis specifically, we can find elements such as:
- Resins;
- Wax;
- Pollini;
- Mineral substances;
- Organic compounds.
Inside, propolis also contains important vitamins and nutrients . It is no coincidence that this substance is also used by humans as a food supplement. propolis has many beneficial properties for the body, even for that of us humans.
What is propolis for bees?
Bees produce propolis to use it for many different uses, including:
- Disinfect the hive : bees are very clean animals. The care and attention to the hive is almost maniacal. Since the swarms are made up of very large groups of bees (even 60,000), hygiene is very important. In the event that germs, fungi or bacteria proliferate, these would spread rapidly from one component to another, causing significant health problems. To survive therefore, swarms pay close attention to cleanliness. Propolis is also used to disinfect cells before the queen bee lays its eggs.
- Sealing blanks : Propolis is also used to seal small holes and smaller spaces in the hive. In this way, other animals are prevented from entering, avoiding intruders.
- Mummify corpses : in some cases, despite the precautions, it still happens that some predators manage to enter the hive. In these cases, the bees immediately kill the enemy by attacking them in groups and suffocating them. When the invaders' body is too heavy to be moved outside, the bees begin to embalm it . In order to avoid dangerous decomposition processes, bees cover the body with propolis. It is as if the bees created real mummies.
Resin: a useful element for the self-medication of bees
According to some studies, bees use resin also to apply self-medication interventions. These findings emerged after careful observations. The researchers noted that after attacks by pathogens, the collection of resin increased significantly.
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