# Wax mirrors



## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

Okay, I have to admit ignorance. What are "wax mirrors"?


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## Moeuk (Feb 4, 2008)

Hi Hobie,
Right here goes, we know that the bees (workers) can produce wax to build up from foundation. What happens is they gorge themselves with honey, then they hang together, which is called festooning, and produce wax flakes from the wax glands underneath thier bodies. They have four sets of wax glands and wax mirrors. 
Here is an explanation of this producing wax by Snodgrass;
_The anterior parts of the sterna of segments 1V to V11 of the abdomen that form the true ventral walls of their segments, but are concealed above the free underlapping posterior parts of the preceeding sterna, are each characterized in the worker by the presence of two large, oval, polished surfaces framed in a dark marginal bands and separated by a broader median space. (A - Mir) These polished areas are known as *wax plates or wax mirrors above them are situated the four pairs of wax glands of the honey bee. Lying over each gland is a large cellular mass composed of fat cells and oenocytes. ( B )
(C)shows the stages in the developement and regression of a wax gland.*_*





















I hope this has helped and if there are any further questions then 'fire away'.

Moe*


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## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

Fascinating! Thanks!


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