Waxing method of beehive

     Waxing method of beehive

     Beehive waxing is one of the measures for beehive anticorrosion and protection of beehives, and beekeepers at home and abroad have adopted it. By applying wax, the wood fibers of the beehive are filled with wax, which can reduce the water absorption of the beehive and improve the water-repellent ability of the beehive, keep the beehive dry to avoid mold parasitism, and achieve the purpose of anti-corrosion and protection of the beehive.

     Beehive waxing generally involves dipping the entire hive parts in liquid (melted) beeswax, paraffin or a mixture of beeswax and paraffin. The specific method is: use a metal container larger than the beehive box as a pot for melting wax and dipping wax. Put the wax raw material into the pot, heat it to 160～204℃, then immerse the box body or other parts that need to be waxed in the melted wax for about 5 minutes after the surface has been polished with sandpaper, then pick it up and set aside for 12 hours to let it cool down. Finish waxing the part.

     When applying wax by dipping, care should be taken that the beehive parts should be sufficiently dry. If the parts are not dry, the dipping wax will seal the moisture in the wood, causing the wood to rot and damage. At the same time, the surface of the parts to be waxed should be cleaned, especially the used or regularly waxed parts of the beehive should remove the propolis, dust and other dirt on the surface.

     It is believed that the use of paraffin impregnation treatment of beehives, its anti-corrosion effect is 2 ~ 3 times higher than paint. The Yankee's TewJ reports that beehives made of tunnel wood decay in a few years, but can last up to 10 years if they are dipped in wax every three or four years.

     In addition, some beekeepers add sealant to wax raw materials or use different mixed wax raw materials to achieve better wax effect. Such as the Yankee Texas OtteBC in the box dipped in wax after the rapid immersion into additional sealant in the molten wax; StollerD, Ohio, used a mixture of paraffin and resin to impregnate the chamber and was found to be effective. Beekeepers in New Zealand coat wax-soaked boxes with coloured polythylene-based acrylic after they have cooled.

Beeswax is available, then our beehive treatment is very simple. The simple steps are as follows:

• 1. After the beeswax is filtered, put the beeswax in the prepared small pot, and then slowly heat it with a medium and small fire. After a while, the beeswax will turn into a liquid, and then you can start to apply the wax.
• 2. Before applying beeswax, take off the box cover of the beehive, take an appropriate amount of beeswax with a brush, and start brushing from the inside of the beehive. When applying beeswax, keep it even, not too thick or too thin. It is best to ensure that the wax layer is around five millimeters.
• 3. After smearing the beeswax inside the beehive, you should also smear the inside of the beehive with beeswax, and then start smearing the exterior of the beehive. After all the beehives are applied, check to see if there are any gaps in the beehive. Smooth it out with beeswax.
• 4. After the beehive is smeared, it should be placed in a cool place to dry naturally, and it can be officially put into use after three to four days.