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
Fahrenheit.
Over time, Beeswax 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. |