Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Our world's demand for beeswax far exceeds the supply. There are many uses for this blessed substance. It is used in cosmetics, furniture and wood polishes, archery, candle making, metal working and carpentry.

How do honeybees make wax? There are four pair of wax glands on the underside of the worker bee's abdomen. The wax is secreted from these glands. By digesting 8.4 pounds of sugars, pollens and nectars, the honeybee can produce one pound of wax. Different kinds of honeybee food influence the color of the wax. Beeswax colors range from translucent to a buttery-lemon color.
This special wax is indigestible for humans but rather, serves as a type of fiber to our systems. Eating beeswax is good for us! Some of the products within the beeswax are digestible such as the pollen and nectar it contains.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Honeybees gather tree sap and combine it with wax to make propolis. This glue-like substance is then used to strengthen the moving parts of the hive. In order to move the individual boxes or the honeycomb frames, beekeepers must use a hive tool to pry the sections apart. Some naturalists eat propolis as a form of antibiotic.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Queen Honeybees

Queen honeybees are only fertile in the first few days of their lives at which time they mate with up to 21 drones in order to carry enough fertilized eggs for their life time (up to 7 years). Queens then lay up to a couple thousand eggs in a day.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

New Classes Starting!

Although all my classes are full for Fall of 2010, I am hoping to have some students on my wait list in the case that any of my students are not able to attend class this semester.
Also, I will start the same classes again in January.

Fairbanks, Alaska
Starting the week of August 23, 2010 through December 10, 2010
Tuition is $20.00 per two hour lesson
One semester commitment
Fifteen lessons per semester/one lesson per week
Four students per class/Five classes to choose from

Materials included
Contact Dawn at
sciencebasedart@yahoo.com
Highschool Credit: 1/2 art credit per semester

Soar Through the Solar System:
Explore our universe beginning with the sun and traveling through the planets.
(This class is full for Fall of 2010)

Animal Kingdom:
Artistically capture a variety of animals in their various habitats.
(This class is full for Fall of 2010)

Marine Marvels:
Recreate the colorful ocean environment.
(This class is full for Fall of 2010)

Beautiful Botony:
Draw, paint and sculpt plants, trees and flowers in their various landscapes.
(This class is full for Fall of 2010)

Technology Treadmill:
(3rd - 8th grades) Focusing on perspective with special attention to machines and devices.
(This class is full for Fall of 2010)