" once the bees are wax-makers they need to consume pollen in order to make wax."

All of the enzymes that do the chemical work of converting sugar to wax are made of amino acids.  Bees only source of amino acids is the protein in the pollen they eat.  So, without adequate protein at some point in life the bees would not be able to make wax due to lack of proper enzymes.  But, there is also a second part to the chemical question.  Does part of the carbon in the proteins the bees eat end up being converted to part of the carbon in wax?  Probably the only real way to study this question would be to feed protein that is radio labeled with  carbon 14 and see is any of the carbon 14 ends up in the wax.  I do not think such an experiment has ever been done.  If someone did do the experiment I would be surprised if at least tiny amounts of that carbon 14 label did not end up in the wax.  After all, biological organisms are in the business of repurposing the chemicals they consume all the time and we know from experience that such radio labels often end up in lots of unexpected places in tiny amounts.

Dick

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html