Propolis is a resinous mixture that honey bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources, which is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive. It is used for small gaps (approximately 6 millimeters (0.24 in) or less), while larger spaces are usually filled with beeswax. Propolis is also used for embalming intruders to the hive that are killed by the bees but are too large for the bees to carry out.
Royal jelly is a gelatinous substance produced by honey bees to feed queen bees and their larvae. It is secreted from the glands in the hypopharynx of worker bees, and fed to all larvae in the colony, regardless of caste or sex. Throughout the process of nursing larvae, worker bees will continue to feed the queen larvae royal jelly. It is somewhat similar to honey, but has a different chemical composition and is used for different purposes.
Bee pollen is a ball or pellet of field-gathered flower pollen packed by worker honeybees, and used as the primary food source for the hive. It consists of simple sugars, protein, minerals and vitamins, fatty acids, and a small percentage of other components. Also called bee bread, it is the food of the honey bee throughout its adult life.
Raw honey is honey as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling, or straining, without adding heat beyond what would naturally occur in a beehive, or other processing. Raw honey contains some pollen and may contain small particles of wax. It is traditionally used as a folk remedy and food.
Buckwheat is a plant cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. As a food, buckwheat is a pseudocereal because its seeds are not produced on grasses, but they are eaten similarly to cereal grains. It is a good source of fiber and energy.
Ginkgo biloba, commonly known as ginkgo or gingko, also known as the maidenhair tree, is a species of tree native to China. It is the only living species in the division Ginkgophyta, all others being extinct. It is used in traditional medicine, and as a dietary supplement.
