Hi Aaron,
I doingresearch on the subject and wish to thank
all of thepersons who have written to the list about
it recently.
Here are somenotes from my files:
Propolis is avery unique, heterogeneous and chemically complex substance made by honey bees.It is rich in a significantnumber of biologically active compounds and is one of the oldest and mostsuccessful medicinal substances in human history.
It is a productthat cannot be clearly defined because it varies from place to place, andbecause of the great diversity of the sources from which it is obtained. However, different samplesof it do share considerable similarity in their overall general chemicalnature. The high demand for it, and its limited availability have led to awide-spread adulteration of the product. There is no doubt that propolis containsa small amount of pollen.
The mainsources from which the resinous materialis obtained are, inter alia, conifers, poplar and various species of pine.
Atelevated temperatures propolis is soft, pliable, and very sticky; however, whencooled, and particularly when frozen or at, or near freezing, it becomes hardand brittle.
Becauseof factors such as high populationdensity, honey bees are at an increased risk of exposure to parasitesand pathogens. However, a lot of them remain healthy because of theiruse of propolis. Professor MarlaSpivak and her students at the University of Minnesota are doing research on the benefits of propolis to the health of bee colonies.
Propolis providesmany benefits to our bees, but itis a source of annoyance and an inconvenience to some beekeepers when theyare opening a hive or lifting frames. However, its contribution to the health of the hive far outweighs the inconveniencesuffered by them.
Caucasian beesare known for their tendency to collect larger quantities of resin than eitherthe Italians or Carniolans.
Propolis traps are designed to be usedfor its collection.
Sincerely,
Abbas
From: Paul Hosticka <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, December 2, 2014 10:18 AM
Subject: Re: [BEE-L] propolis
Marla Spivak and her team have been investigating the beneficial contributions of propolis for a few years now. She has compelling evidence that an envelope of propolis with its antimicrobial properties contributes to overall hive health.They have identified specific tree sources that are better than others. She even recommends that wooden ware manufactures make a line with rough cut interiors to more closely mimic the interior of a tree cavity. I'm sure Pete can find a link to her work. Also a new line of Caucasian bees being bred at WSU by Steve Shepard and Sue Cobey are said to be notorious propolizers and that is thought to be a good thing.
Paul Hosticka
Dayton WA
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