Beeswax is collected as part of the honey harvesting process. Here's a breakdown of the steps:
- Pulling the Frames: Beekeepers first remove the honeycomb frames from the beehive. These frames are typically full of honey and sealed (capped) with beeswax.
- Removing the Wax Cappings: To extract the honey, beekeepers carefully scratch or cut off the wax cappings that seal the honey-filled cells of the honeycomb. This reveals the honey. The removed cappings are the source of beeswax.
- Rendering the Wax: The wax cappings are then melted and filtered to remove impurities like honey residue and bee debris. This process is called rendering. The result is clean, pure beeswax.
Therefore, beeswax collection occurs simultaneously with honey harvesting. The beeswax comes from the cappings that seal the honey-filled honeycomb cells, which are removed during the honey extraction process.
