Honey bees are among the most diligent and fascinating insects on our planet. Beyond their essential role in pollination, they are also expert builders crafting their hives from beeswax, flake by flake, cell by cell. In this post, I’m sharing the incredible process of how honey bees make wax, from foraging flowers to sealing off their golden stores. This wax, specifically, the cappings, is what I use to make every Slow Burn candle.

The Journey Begins: Collecting Nectar

It all starts with the worker bees, who leave the hive in search of nectar. As they sip this sugary liquid from blossoms, pollen clings to their fuzzy bodies. This simple act is the foundation of pollination and the beginning of a much bigger process that fuels the hive.

From Nectar to Honey

Back at the hive, the nectar is passed from bee to bee, undergoing enzymatic changes that break down its complex sugars. As the water content reduces, the nectar becomes honey a stable, energy-rich food the bees rely on year-round.

Wax Glands at Work

Beeswax isn’t gathered from the environment; it’s made within the bees themselves. Young worker bees develop wax glands on their abdomens that secrete tiny, colorless wax flakes. Using their mandibles, they chew and shape the wax, softening it into a workable material.

Building the Comb

The hive’s iconic hexagonal cells are a masterpiece of collaboration. Bees mold the wax into this precise shape to maximize storage and efficiency. These cells serve as both pantry and nursery; holding honey, pollen, and brood (bee babies in various stages of development).

Wax Cappings: The Final Layer

Once a honeycomb cell is full, the bees seal it with a thin layer of wax. These wax cappings keep the honey safe from moisture and contamination and signal that the honey is ready for harvest. For candlemakers, these cappings are gold. They're the cleanest, most pure form of wax, free from the debris found in older comb or scrapings.

Why We Use Capping Wax at Slow Burn

The wax I use for Slow Burn candles comes directly from cappings, sourced from a family-run apiary just NE of the Twin Cities. This wax is minimally handled and filtered in small batches to preserve its purity. The result is a candle that burns slowly, cleanly, and with a naturally sweet scent that still carries a trace of the hive.

When you light a Slow Burn candle, you’re not just burning wax, you’re tending to something much older. A lineage of intention that began in the field, moved through the hive, and found its way into your hands.

Let that small flame remind you of the remarkable, interconnected work behind each moment of warmth and glow.