Some of this discussion is based on the premise that old dark comb is 
propolized.  But I thought that the dark comb is the residue of the 
accumulation of cocoon residues. Certainly that seems to be the case when 
melting it.  One can see all the residue coming out of the wax.  Certainly 
the wax is much darker than cappings wax, but is this from propolis, or from 
contact with all the cocoon material.  I do see propolis on the comb in the 
bottom of the first box, but not visibly elsewhere.

I seem to recall postings from Tony in Norway that indicated a very high 
amount of comb replacement as a nosema control, and think that Norway could 
not be considered "southern" beekeeping.  Juanse's bees are so southern that 
they could almost be considered "northern" and because he has a market for 
old comb (for raising wax moth!) they are largely on new comb, and seem to 
be healthier I thought as a result.

As a note on propolis:  I saw a species of trigona in Venezuela which use 
unbelievable amounts of propolis (they use geopropolis, or propolis mixed 
with soil as a building material as well).  They will invade weak mellifera 
hives (to make use of the pollen stores) and actually drive the bees out by 
propolizing everything to an extent that the former occupants can not 
handle.  In Brazil this bees is sometimes kept (meliponaculture they call 
it) and the honey is harvested with a syringe!  It is prized as eye 
medicine.

Stan 

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