Propolis envelope
The layer of plant resin bees line a nest cavity with.
Bees
Definition
Wild colonies coat their cavity walls in propolis, which has measurable antimicrobial effect and appears to reduce disease pressure and individual immune investment. Smooth-walled manufactured hives are frequently scraped clean of it, and encouraging a propolis envelope is one of the wild-colony practices modern beekeeping has begun borrowing back.
See also
Other bees terms
Sources
Sources
- The Lives of Bees: The Untold Story of the Honey Bee in the Wild — Princeton University Press (2019) · Monograph
- The Biology of the Honey Bee — Harvard University Press (1987) · Textbook
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