I recall reading an article in the '70s in either the ABJ or Gleanings in
Bee Culture on bees collecting latex caulking and using it as, well,
caulking or propolis.
 
The article had photos of the propolis packed in the bees' corbiculum. It
also raised concern as to chemical contamination of the hive.
 
Apparently the caulking was freshly applied.
 
regards
 
Peter Wilson
Edmonton, AB. Canada
 
                                     email: [log in to unmask]
 
 
On Wed, 13 Nov 1996, Rick Grossman wrote:
 
> I thought I had read in one of the magazines published here in the states,
> about this time last year, a very interesting article on propolis
> composition.  The essence of the article seemed to be that propolis (or at
> least the goo that the bees use to seal everything with) can be extremely
> varied.  This variation can be from a variety of natural sources (tree sap,
> etc.) to man-made items like tar and other substances that I would not
> associate with the healthful, healing properties we normally ascribe to
> propolis.  It seems that the bees were very opportunistic in their
> collection of propolis making substances, and that there is no one chemical
> composition of propolis.
>
> Rick Grossman
> Oregon, USA
>
> At 10:06 AM 11/11/96 +0000, you wrote:
> >Does anyone know whether and to what extent the composition of
> >propolis alters with different bee forage? Any sources of further
> >information would also be appreciated.
> >
> >Thanks.
> >
> >Andrew Kidd
> >
> >University of Hohenheim (430A)
> >70593 Stuttgart
> >Germany.
> >
>