What do bees use to build their hives?

Bees use beeswax to build their hives because it is a natural secretion produced by worker bees. These bees have specialized glands that convert the sugar from nectar into beeswax. Once the beeswax is produced, the worker bees manipulate it by chewing and shaping it into hexagonal cells, which form the structure of the hive. These cells are essential for various purposes, including brood rearing and honey storage.

Pollen and nectar serve different roles in the hive. Pollen is a primary protein source for the bees and is not used in the construction of the hive. Nectar, on the other hand, is a carbohydrate source, which bees convert into honey, but it does not have a structural role like beeswax does. Propolis, while used by bees as a sealant for small gaps in the hive and to create a more sterile environment, is not the primary material for building the hive’s structure, making beeswax the correct choice for this question.