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Propolis or bee glue is a resinous mixture that honey bees collect 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, the most common being dark brown. Propolis is sticky at and above room temperature, . At lower temperatures, it becomes hard and very brittle. ==Purpose== For centuries, beekeepers assumed〔R Krell 1996. value-added products from beekeeping ( FAO AGRICULTURAL SERVICES BULLETIN No. 124 ) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome〕 that bees sealed the beehive with propolis to protect the colony from the elements, such as rain and cold winter drafts. However, 20th-century research has revealed that bees not only survive, but also thrive, with increased ventilation during the winter months throughout most temperate regions of the world. Propolis is now believed to: #reinforce the structural stability of the hive; #reduce vibration; #make the hive more defensible by sealing alternative entrances; #prevent diseases and parasites from entering the hive, and to inhibit fungal and bacterial growth; #prevent putrefaction within the hive. Bees usually carry waste out of and away from the hive. However, if a small lizard or mouse, for example, finds its way into the hive and dies there, bees may be unable to carry it out through the hive entrance. In that case, they would attempt instead to seal the carcass in propolis, essentially mummifying it and making it odorless and harmless. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「propolis」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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