Does the color of bees wax make a difference?

[Marlin Hunter]

I have seen dark, gold, light, and white bees wax for sale.

Is there a difference in hardness or lube quality with the different colors?


Thanks

[Dale53]

As long as the beeswax is natural (unbleached) it should be fine. The color of natural beeswax depends on what the bees have been picking up. The honey will be different colors depending on what the bees are working, also.

I have a large quantity of natural beeswax that is "as taken from the hive". It is nearly black. After it is filtered (to remove all of the dirt and bee parts) it will be a lot lighter in color.

Dale53

[randyrat]

Bees eat a lot of honey they work hard raising little hellions, and in the process they produce little white scales of wax on their legs.
This white beeswax is pure white until the mastication process (chewing the wax and mixing with saliva secretions) this is where i think the different colors and smells come into play, depending where/ what they eat.

1) There are cappings beeswax which is lighter/ more transparent
2) Hive scrapings slightly darker
I sell mostly hive scrappings, just because there is more of it and the cappings are mixed in mine.

[357maximum]

The only difference I have seen is that different grades will require a very slightly different amount of oil to make the same consistancy/flex/flow in a lube. Cappings grade requiring the least amount as it is softer/more flexible to start with.

Basically it is a non issue.

I buy cappings grade from my keeper. The reason is very simple. He cleans/filters his cappings grade wax and all I have to do is melt and use. He simply blocks his scrapping grade wax for wholesale back to his hive supplier and it requires more work on my part to filter it. So me being on the lazy side at times I spend the few cents more on the cappings.


He has alot of 55gal drums full of very well used/dirty/bee ridden wax also...it is almost greenish/brown...one of these days his price for the whole lot will meet with my labor involvement cost and I will process it all....so far that has not happened. He thinks it is worth more than I do, but some day we will meet in the middle and I will have to build a large gas assisted solar melter/filter deal. He gave me 15 pound block to try...it worked for lube....but sure required alot of work and had alot more waste compared to the other two grades.

Once upon a time he buried this same ugly wax in his back 40 with a backhoe



We are very forntunate to have a couple of souls here who are willing to do the work and provide cleaned wax "ingots" to us. I am not 100% sure, but I would bet that their service does not net them much profit for the work invested......so thank you