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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?