Brown wax vs white wax

[tjc1]

I have a new package that I installed on drawn comb, so they haven's had any building to do. Today I found a bit of cross comb built in the hole of the inner cover, and was surprised to see that it was fairly dark brown -  why at this time of year would it not be white wax and what is the difference?

[divemaster1963]

Was it honeycomb or was it propolis?

John

[cao]

Brown wax is wax that they have reworked.  White wax is newly secreted wax.  Apparently they had enough wax that they needed to recycle.

[Acebird]

Burr comb is usually dark.  They might be trying to close down the hole.  Your not venting through that hole are you?

[Psparr]

I've had the same thing. Nice new soft wax but looks like cardboard.

[tjc1]

It was burr comb. I had always been under the impression that bees didn't reuse/recycle wax - propolis, yes. And I thought that burr comb/old comb was dark from lots of foot traffic over time. I could understand if it was older reused wax. But then again, there is all the references to 'white wax time' which implies the rest of the time the wax isn't white...?

[Psparr]

Mine was new comb in a foundation less frame.

[little john]

Dark coloured comb doesn't always come from dirty feet - it can be produced as a result of what the bees eat ...

Here's some newly-drawn brown comb - with the consistency of cardboard:




... and here's some nice dark chocolate burr comb:




So - how can I be so sure that this colouring came from food ? 




Easy:  That's the source - the pollen substitute at the top of the picture. 

LJ

[tjc1]

That's cool LJ, thanks. I have also often noticed the tiny scales of wax that have fallen onto the bottom board, and these have always looked silvery white - never seen any dark versions. That looks just like the comb I removed.

[GSF]

tjc1; In a few cells bees will actually store wax. I had been noticing that and then ran across it in one of Walt Wright's articles.

[PhilK]

tjc1; In a few cells bees will actually store wax. I had been noticing that and then ran across it in one of Walt Wright's articles.

I have seen some cells with what I thought was wax inside them - that explains it!