Editing Beeswax (section)

==Production==
Beeswax is formed by [[worker bee]]s, which secrete it from eight wax-producing mirror glands on the inner sides of the [[sternites]] (the [[Anatomical terms of location|ventral]] shield or plate of each segment of the body) on abdominal segments 4 to 7.<ref name=Sanford>{{cite journal|last1=Sanford|first1=M.T.|last2=Dietz|first2=A.|year=1976|title=The fine structure of the wax gland of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.).|journal=Apidologie|volume=7|issue=3|pages=197–207|doi=10.1051/apido:19760301|url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00890403/file/hal-00890403.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430163140/https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00890403/file/hal-00890403.pdf |archive-date=2019-04-30 |url-status=live|doi-access=free}}</ref> The sizes of these wax glands depend on the age of the worker, and after many daily flights, these glands gradually begin to [[atrophy]].

[[Image:Bienenvolk-Gemuell.jpg|thumb|left|Fresh wax scales (in the middle of the bottom row)]]
The new wax is initially glass-clear and colorless, becoming [[opaque]] after [[chewing]] and being contaminated with pollen by the hive worker bees, becoming progressively yellower or browner by incorporation of [[pollen]] oils and [[propolis]]. The wax scales are about {{convert|3|mm|in|spell=in}} across and {{convert|0.1|mm|in|abbr=on}} thick, and about 1100 are needed to make a gram of wax.<ref name=":0">Brown, R, H. (1981) ''Beeswax'' (2nd edition) Bee Books New and Old, Burrowbridge, Somerset UK. {{ISBN|0-905652-15-0}}</ref> Worker bees use the beeswax to build [[honeycomb]] cells. For the wax-making bees to secrete wax, the ambient temperature in the hive must be {{convert|33|to|36|C|}}.

The book ''Beeswax Production, Harvesting, Processing and Products'' suggests {{convert|1|kg|spell=in||}} of beeswax is sufficient to store {{cvt|22|kg|||}} of honey.<ref name=Coggshall>{{cite book |title=Beeswax Production, Harvesting, Processing and Products, Coggshall and Morse |publisher=Wicwas Press |date=1984-06-01| isbn=978-1878075062}}</ref>{{rp|41}} Another study estimated that {{convert|1|kg|spell=in||}} of wax can store {{cvt|24|to|30|kg|}} of honey.<ref name=":1">{{cite book|title=Top-Bar Beekeeping: Organic Practices for Honeybee Health|author=Les Crowder|publisher=Chelsea Green Publishing|date=2012-08-31|isbn=978-1603584616}}</ref><ref>[http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/what-we-do/information-and-education/info/file/1327 Top-bar beekeeping in America] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729214736/http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/what-we-do/information-and-education/info/file/1327 |date=2014-07-29 }}.</ref>

Sugars from honey are metabolized into beeswax in wax-gland-associated [[fat cells]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Collision | first = Clarence | title = A Closer Look: Beeswax, Wax Glands | pages = 12–27  | newspaper = Bee Culture | publisher = beeculture.com | date = 31 March 2015  | url = https://www.beeculture.com/a-closer-look-beeswax-wax-glands/ | access-date = 2020-06-16 }}</ref> The amount of [[honey]] used by bees to produce wax has not been accurately determined, but according to Whitcomb's 1946 experiment, {{cvt|6.66|to|8.80|kg|}} of honey yields {{convert|1|kg|spell=in||}} of wax.<ref name=Coggshall/>{{rp|35}}