Propolis Propolis Propolis or bee glue is a resinous mixture that honey bees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with exudate gathered from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive. Propolis is used for small gaps (approximately or less), while larger spaces are usually filled with beeswax. Its color varies depending on its botanical source, with dark brown as the most common. Propolis is sticky at and above , while at lower temperatures, it becomes hard and brittle. While foraging, worker bees primarily harvest pollen and nectar,
Animal glue it over a fire and then applied with a brush. Greeks and Romans later used animal and fish glue to develop veneering and marquetry, the bonding of thin sections or layers of wood. Animal glue, known as taurokolla in Greek and gluten taurinum in Latin, were made from the skins of bulls in antiquity. Broken pottery might also be repaired with the use of animal glues, filling the cracks to hide imperfections. About 906–618 BC, China utilized fish, ox, and stag horns to produce adhesives and binders for pigments. Animal glues were employed as binders in paint media during the