Propolis is more than just a nuisance to beekeepers. It’s a vital part of the honey bee immune system! Unfortunately, modern beehives don’t have many places for the bees to store their propolis, but there are things you can do as a beekeeper to increase propolis in your hive. Read on to discover what I do in my apiary.
Why Encourage Propolis?
To make propolis, honey bees collect saps and oils from trees and combine them with beeswax. These resinous substances contain phytochemicals that plants make to protect their new buds from harmful microbes. And the bees use them the same way! They protect their nest by coating the whole inside of it with propolis. Propolis kills dangerous bacteria, viruses, and fungi. When a bee colony is sick, they actually collect more propolis to help heal themselves. So, I like to think of it as their medicine.
Wild Beehives Love Propolis
Wild bee colonies are often full of propolis. As someone who does bee rescue work, I have had the opportunity to see hundreds of wild beehives, and I am always amazed by how much more propolis they have. This is partially because their nesting cavities often have more opportunities for propolis storage. Compare the rough interior of a tree hollow to the smooth-milled walls of a man-made hive. In managed colonies, there are no nooks or crannies for propolis storage, and to make matters worse, many beekeepers actively scrape out propolis. Yet, studies show that colonies with more propolis are more likely to survive. So, as beekeepers, how can we modify our practices to help the bees store more propolis?
Rethink Your Interior Walls
One method involves texturizing the interior walls of your hive so that the bees have more crevices for storing propolis. Initially, I did this by scraping with my hive tool, and the bees filled those scratches with propolis, but I was not happy with the results. I wanted deeper and wider gouges. So, I tried rough sandpaper, which was fast, but still didn’t give the results I was looking for. Finally, I tried a swazall. While it is tiring to use, I am happy with the amount of texture it gave my hive bodies. Shown in the photo above.
Rethink Your Inner Cover
Another way to increase the amount of propolis in your hives is to use a fabric inner cover. I like using terrycloth dish towels over the frames. The bees quickly propolize it, and it creates a really nice seal for them. Another benefit is that it helps keep the bees calm and protected during hive inspections. I peel the cloth back only enough to inspect the frames I am on while keeping the others covered.
Have you done anything to increase your colonies’ propolis levels? Share your experiences in the comments!
When I was a kid English beekeepers had these oilcloth covers the half of the frames they were not examining, primarily to keep heat in. So, when they were inspecting, they covered half the hive. But Spanish beekeepers left a rag on all the time. In my childhood ignorance, I thought those propylis covered rags were gross. My how I have gotten wiser in 60 years ;{)