Welcome to the best bee propolis information site on the net !
What does pure propolis look like? Some says it's black while others claim that it has different colors. Read about it here.
The Characteristics of Propolis
In warm weather, propolis is sticky and soft. In cool weather it hardens and becomes brittle.
At room temperature ( 25 - 45 C), propolis is soft, sticky and pliable substance. Above 45 C, it will be more like a glue - gummy and increasingly sticky. At less than 15 C or near freezing temperature, propolis will harden and becomes brittle.
If you makes the temperature your propolis lower than 15 C or at nearly freezing, it will remain brittle, even after you increase it temperature afterward.
To get propolis changed from solid to liquid, you need to heat your propolis at around 60 - 70 C. Some propolis, however, will only melt at 100 C.
The color of your propolis
Different sample of propolis from different countriesPropolis changes in color. So don't be surprised at two propolis that look very different. The color of your propolis will depend on the source of propolis and the season of the year.The color actually ranges from yellow to dark brown, depending on the origin of the resins.
In fact, transparent colored propolis has also been reported.
How are propolis extracted?
To extract propolis, ethanol ( ethyl alcohol), ether, glycol and water are often used.
Collecting propolis is an arduous task. Yes, you can scrap propolis from a hive. However, you would get an inferior product because you will also get other unwanted bee products during the process.
The best way to get propolis is by tricking the bees. What breeders normally do is by inserting small insets into the hives.
Bees will fill the insets with propolis because they are tricked into thinking that the inset is a part of their home that needs repair.