Editing Wax (section)

==== Animal waxes ====
The best-known animal wax is [[beeswax]], used in constructing the [[honeycomb]]s of beehives, but other insects also secrete waxes.  A major component of beeswax is myricyl palmitate which is an [[ester]] of [[triacontanol]] and [[palmitic acid]].  Its melting point is {{Convert|62-65|C}}. [[Spermaceti]] occurs in large amounts in the head oil of the [[sperm whale]]. One of its main constituents is [[cetyl palmitate]], another ester of a [[fatty acid]] and a [[fatty alcohol]]. [[Lanolin]] is a wax obtained from wool, consisting of esters of [[sterol]]s.<ref name=Ull>Wilhelm Riemenschneider1 and Hermann M. Bolt (2005). "Esters, Organic". ''Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry''. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim. {{doi|10.1002/14356007.a09_565.pub2}}.</ref>