propolis
Sign in to savethumb|Propolis, produced by the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) thumb|200px|Two bars from a top bar hive that the bees have glued together using propolis. Separating the bars will take some effort as the propolis has hardened. thumb|200px|Propolis on the upper bar
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Propolis is a sticky substance produced by honey bees that they use to seal and reinforce their hives by gluing structural elements together. Bees produce it as a practical building material that hardens over time, making it strong enough to require significant effort to separate when beekeepers work with their hives.
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- Traditional medicine
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thumb|Propolis, produced by the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) thumb|200px|Two bars from a top bar hive that the bees have glued together using propolis. Separating the bars will take some effort as the propolis has hardened. thumb|200px|Propolis on the upper bar
Propolis or bee glue is a resinous mixture that honey bees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with exudate gathered from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the beehive. Propolis is used for small gaps (around or less), while gaps larger than the bee space (around ) are usually filled with burr comb. Its color varies depending on its botanical source, with dark brown as the most common. Propolis is sticky above , while at lower temperatures, it becomes hard and brittle.