What is propolis ?

Propolis is a product of the bee that results from the processing of resinous juices from the bark and buds of certain plants along with special enzymes produced by the bee itself and the addition, possibly, of pollen and wax residues. The cell has a closed environment, a lot of heat (35) and humidity, a lot of sugar and a lot of inputs-outputs from it (1,000,000 per day, when the weather is good), that is, a lot of traffic. So it is a microbial culture soup. Propolis is a strong antimicrobial and antiviral and is used to sterilize and protect the cell from any germs.

What is the role of propolis ?

 Propolis is used by bees for many purposes, but there are two main ones. The first of these is to create a paste, which will “fill” all the openings, holes, cracks through which foreign to the bee body can enter. This could be water, dust or some organic residue from the outside environment or even a foreign organism such as a butterfly, a wasp, a snail or even a mouse. We could liken the use of propolis to an antimicrobial bactericidal waterproof putty with which the bee repairs its home.

The second and most important reason is to allow the bee to “embalm” the corpse of any invader that manages to enter Delissi. The invader is sure to be killed by the guard bees, but it is impossible to transport his body out of Delissi. The inside of the beehive is, and should be kept more sterile than the operating room, and for this reason the decomposition of the corpse and the spread of the germs that it carries must be prevented.