The Numbers Are Staggering
To produce just 1kg of beeswax, bees must:
- Visit approximately 2 million flowers
- Consume about 7kg of honey
- Fly the equivalent of circling the Earth twice
That's why beeswax costs more than other waxes. It's not manufactured. It's created by thousands of bees over months of work.
How Bees Make Wax
Step 1: Foraging
Worker bees visit flowers, collecting nectar in their honey stomachs. Back at the hive, they pass this nectar to house bees who process it into honey.
Step 2: The Wax Glands
Young worker bees (12-18 days old) have wax glands on their abdomens. When they eat honey, these glands convert the sugars into wax scales - tiny, transparent flakes about 3mm across.
Step 3: Chewing and Building
Bees chew these wax scales, mixing them with enzymes from their mouths. This softens the wax so they can mould it into hexagonal cells - the famous honeycomb structure.
Step 4: Comb Construction
Working together, bees build comb for storing honey, pollen, and raising young. The hexagonal shape is the most efficient - maximum storage with minimum wax.
From Hive to Candle
Harvesting
Beekeepers harvest wax from cappings (the thin layer bees put over full honey cells) and from old comb. Responsible harvesting leaves enough for the bees.
Rendering
Raw wax is melted and filtered to remove honey, propolis, and debris. This can be done with solar melters or water-bath methods.
Filtering and Purifying
Multiple filtering stages remove impurities. The more refined, the lighter the colour - from dark amber to pale yellow.
Why Beeswax Is Special
Clean burning: Produces negative ions that purify air. Little to no soot.
Natural scent: Subtle honey aroma without added fragrance.
Long burning: Higher melt point means slower, longer burns.
Hypoallergenic: No petroleum byproducts or synthetic additives.
Sustainability Considerations
Beeswax is renewable, but not infinite. Bee populations face challenges from pesticides, habitat loss, and disease.
Quality beeswax should come from ethical beekeepers who prioritise colony health. It costs more, but supports sustainable beekeeping practices.
When you light a beeswax candle, you're burning the work of thousands of bees and millions of flower visits. That's worth appreciating.