Glossary
The range of natural substances produced by honey bee colonies, including honey, beeswax, propolis, pollen, royal jelly, and bee venom. Each product has distinct properties and applications in food, medicine, cosmetics, and industry.
Honey is the most well-known hive product. Bees produce it by collecting flower nectar, adding enzymes, and evaporating it to below 18 percent moisture content. A strong colony can produce 60 to 100 pounds of surplus honey per year. Beeswax, the second most familiar product, is secreted from glands on worker bees' abdomens and used to build comb. It takes about 6 to 8 pounds of honey to produce 1 pound of wax.
Propolis is a sticky resin bees collect from tree buds and mix with beeswax and enzymes. They use it as a sealant and antimicrobial coating throughout the hive. Pollen, collected in corbiculae (pollen baskets) on the bees' hind legs, is the colony's protein source. Royal jelly, a protein-rich secretion from nurse bees' head glands, is fed to all larvae for three days and exclusively to the queen throughout her life. Bee venom (apitoxin) has been studied for therapeutic applications in pain management and autoimmune conditions.
At Goodfriend Honey Co., we use two primary hive products: raw honey and beeswax. Our raw honey goes directly from the extractor to the jar with nothing added or removed. Our beeswax becomes the base of every skincare product we make: lotion bars, body butter, facial balm, lip balm, beard balm, tattoo balm, and our bug repellent bar.
Every product we sell can be traced back to our own hives in Bradenton, Florida. We know exactly where our beeswax and honey come from because we harvest it ourselves. That direct connection between hive and product is something mass-produced skincare can never replicate.
By weight, royal jelly and bee venom are the most valuable hive products due to their difficulty of harvest and limited production. However, honey and beeswax are the most commercially significant products overall because they are produced in much larger quantities.
Yes. Most beekeepers harvest honey and beeswax as a matter of course. Propolis can be collected using special traps. Pollen is harvested with pollen traps placed at the hive entrance. Royal jelly requires more specialized techniques. Responsible beekeepers ensure the colony retains enough of each product for its own needs.
For most people, yes. The main concern is allergy risk, particularly with products containing pollen, propolis, or bee venom. Honey should not be given to infants under 12 months. Anyone with known bee-related allergies should consult a healthcare provider before using hive products.
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