You may think that the beeswax comb is only made for honey, but that is simply not true. The beeswax comb in the hive tells the story of the colony. Many times you may hear me refer to the comb as the library of the local terroir. It holds the stories and the flavors of the natural world around the hive. The nectar and pollen from the flowers are turned into food for the bees. The maiden bees then feed the queen honey and she produces eggs that make more baby bees and the cycle continues. The comb is also referred to by many as the body of the bee. Honeybees are a super organism, meaning that bees must live together as parts of a whole in order to survive. The comb serves as the womb of the hive where the baby bees gestitate, as well as the place where food fermented, stored and digested. It also serves as a place for communication through scent, dance and vibration.
As a candle maker, I provide much care and respect when working with beeswax. I find it to be such a precious and sacred part of the hive. This is also one of the reasons that I do not use plastic frames in my beehives, or wax foundation from any other source (which can be filled with pesticides). Take a look at the image of the comb, and notice the beautiful rainbow that the baby bees are surrounded by. You see the capped honey on top next to the pollen, eggs, larva and capped brood getting ready to emerge as an adult bee. The bees are such efficient creatures, and I also believe that they love beauty and convenience as much as we do. They provide a beautiful space for their young to enter the world surrounded by food and warmth.