Beeswax Candles

Burning Time

Beeswax candles cost more than paraffin candles ... or do they? This depends on how you measure it! A beeswax candle of a given size will cost more than a paraffin candle of the same size, but it will also burn for much longer - up to twice as long.

Pure beeswax makes excellent candles without any additives at all. Beeswax candles burn longer than paraffin (even with additives in the paraffin), burns cleanly, and smells great.

The Roman Catholic Church uses large quantities of beeswax in the form of candles. The Church does not tolerate paraffin, ceresin, nor any of the mineral waxes, all of which give off
an offensive greasy odor while burning, whereas candles made of beeswax leave a delightful perfume.

Above are the wax scales from the honeybee

Workers around 6-12 days old can produce wax scales in their four pairs of wax glands. The glands are concealed between the inter-segmental membranes, but the wax scales produced can be seen, usually even with naked eyes. The scales are thin and quite clear. After workers chew them up and add saliva, it becomes more whitish.
 

These wax scales are used by the honeybees to make honeycombs to store their honey in.

The beekeepers harvest this honey and during the extracting process the capping's (the ends of the hexagonal cells) are cut or scraped off allowing the honey to come out.

Since we are frequently out and about, e-mail is the most efficient method of reaching us:

Brian@ojaivalleybeefarm.com