How to Harvest Beeswax
During a honey harvest, the top portion of the honeycomb has to be sliced off in order to access the honey sealed inside. This thin wax membrane is called the "capping" of the comb. If cleaned properly, the beeswax from the cappings can be made into candles, used for candy-making, homemade beauty products, or household polishing and sealing, or sold for more of a profit than the actual honey itself. Harvesting beeswax is a natural part of beekeeping, and a lot easier than you may think. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Cappings from harvested honeycomb
- Knife or comb cutter
- Water
- Pot
- Plastic container
- Glass
Instructions
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1
Remove the beeswax cappings off of the top of the honeycomb with a knife or comb cutter and place them in a large pot. Fill the pot about ¾ full with water.
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2
Boil the water and beeswax cappings over medium heat until the wax melts and begins to float on the top of the water.
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3
Dipping a wire strainer into the water and gather up the wax.
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4
Dump the wax from the strainer into a plastic bucket or wide container. Let the wax sit until it becomes solid.
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5
Cover the container of wax with a large piece of glass and set it in the sun until the beeswax is melted. Pour the melted wax into smaller containers. Beeswax is sold in bars of 1 ounce up to 16 ounces so choose the container size that best meets your needs.
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