Understanding Beeswax
Beeswax is one of the most remarkable things produced inside a honey bee colony.
It is made by the bees themselves, used to build their honeycomb, store honey and raise the next generation of bees. For us, it is also the beginning of something that goes from hive to home.
At Stax Of Wax, we recover and prepare beeswax from our own beekeeping, turning this valuable natural material into handmade beeswax candles and other products. Every piece of wax has a connection to the bees and the seasons in which they worked.
What Is Beeswax?
Beeswax is a natural wax produced by honey bees.
Worker bees have special wax-producing glands on the underside of their abdomen. When a colony needs to build or repair comb, the bees produce tiny flakes of wax. These are softened and worked together by the bees to create the familiar honeycomb structure.
The result is a strong but surprisingly flexible material made entirely by the bees.
Honeycomb isn't simply somewhere for bees to store honey. It is an essential part of the colony, providing cells for:
-
storing honey
-
storing pollen
-
raising young bees
-
keeping the colony organised
Without beeswax, the bees would not have the comb they need to live and work together.
How do Bees Make Beeswax?
Young worker bees are particularly important in wax production.
When a colony is growing and there is plenty of food available, worker bees can produce wax to build new comb. The tiny wax scales they produce are almost white when first made.
The bees then chew and manipulate the wax, combining it with other substances from the colony as they construct their comb.
Over time, the colour of the comb changes.
Fresh wax can be very pale, while older comb generally becomes darker as it is repeatedly used by the colony.
Why Isn't All Beeswax the Same Colour?
One of the lovely things about natural beeswax is that it isn't always the same colour. Freshly produced wax can be almost white or very pale yellow. As comb is used within the hive, it can gradually become deeper in colour. Honey, pollen, propolis and repeated use all contribute to changes in the appearance of the wax. This means that natural beeswax can range from pale cream and golden yellow through to deeper shades. For handmade beeswax products, variation in colour is part of the character of the natural material rather than a fault.
Why Does Beeswax Smell So Good?
Natural beeswax can have a gentle, warm aroma often associated with honey, honeycomb and the hive.
The scent can vary depending on the wax itself and what has been happening within the colony. This is one reason handmade beeswax candles can smell subtly different from one another.
We don't need to add an artificial fragrance to make beeswax smell like beeswax.
Its natural character is part of what makes it special.
Beeswax and the Honeycomb
When you look at a piece of honeycomb, you're looking at the result of a huge amount of work by the colony.
The familiar hexagonal cells aren't made by pouring wax into a mould. They are built and maintained by the bees themselves.
The comb provides an incredibly efficient structure for the colony, allowing the bees to store food and raise brood while making good use of the space available inside the hive.
It is one of the clearest examples of how closely beeswax is connected to the life of the colony.
What Happens to Beeswax After It Has Been Used?
Beekeeping naturally produces beeswax that can be recovered and reused.
Wax cappings removed during honey extraction are one particularly clean source of beeswax. Other suitable pieces of old or unwanted comb can also be recovered as part of responsible hive management.
Rather than allowing usable wax to go to waste, we clean and prepare it so that it can have another purpose.
This is where our hive-to-home journey begins.
From Beeswax To Handmade Products
Once beeswax has been recovered, it needs to be carefully prepared before it can be used.
The wax is rendered and cleaned to remove unwanted material, then allowed to form manageable blocks that can be stored and used when needed.
We can then turn those blocks of beeswax into handmade products, including our candles, wood polish, leather conditioner, wax melts and skin care range.
Every stage matters because we want to preserve the natural character of the wax while producing a finished product that is practical and beautiful to use.
Why We Choose Beeswax
We choose beeswax because it is a natural material with a direct connection to our beekeeping.
There is something particularly satisfying about being able to follow the journey:
Bees → Honeycomb → Beeswax → Handmade Product → Home
It means our candles aren't simply made from a wax that happens to be available. They are connected to the work of our bees and to the seasons spent caring for our colonies across the Lincolnshire Wolds.
That connection is at the heart of Stax Of Wax Ltd.
Why We Choose Beeswax
Because our beeswax is a natural material, no two pieces are necessarily identical.
You may notice differences in:
-
colour
-
scent
-
surface appearance
-
texture
-
how the wax behaves when burned
These differences are part of using a natural material rather than a completely uniform manufactured wax.
We think that is something to appreciate rather than hide.
Beeswax: From Hive To Home
Beeswax begins as part of the working life of a honey bee colony.
The bees make it, shape it and use it to build the comb that supports their lives inside the hive. Through careful beekeeping, some of that wax can be recovered, cleaned and given another purpose.
For us, that purpose is often a handmade candle.
So when you light a Stax Of Wax Ltd beeswax candle, you're enjoying a product that began with the work of bees in our Lincolnshire apiaries.
Frequently asked questions
Discover our handmade beeswax candles, from everyday tealights and pillars to countryside, bee and hive, and modern decorative designs.
Interested in the other side of the hive?
Beeswax and honey are closely connected, both beginning with the work of our bees.
Explore our Ultimate Honey Guide to follow the journey from forage to honey, learn how honey is harvested and discover more about the honey in our jars.