Doug Wechsler / Yellow-plumed parakeets (Leptosittaca branickii) at nest cavity in wax palm stump, Tapichalaca Biological Reserve, Ecuador.

Solvin Zankl / Honey bee (Apis mellifera) honey comb mostly covered with wax, Kiel, Germany, June.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Cheese maturing on shelves in traditional dairy, Triglav National Park, Slovenia, October 2014.

Ammonite / Close-up of Buff-tailed bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) repairing a wax cell containing eggs inside nest, France, May.

Ammonite / Close-up of Buff-tailed bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) repairing a wax cell containing eggs inside nest, France, May.

Ammonite / Buff-tailed bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) removing pollen baskets from back legs into a wax honey pot in nest, France, May.

Ammonite / Tracking shot into the entrance of a Buff-tailed bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) nest, showing larvae in wax cells, France, May.

Ammonite / Close-up of Buff-tailed bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) inside nest feeding on honey from wax honey pots, France, May.

Ammonite / Buff-tailed bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) inside nest, with wax cells containing honey, France, May.

Andrew Walmsley / Silver eye / Grey backed white eye (Zosterops lateralis) in flowering Pohutukawa tree (Metrosideros excelsa) Botanic Gardens, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand, December

Stephen Dalton / Honey bee (Apis mellifera) filling honey storage cells in the hive, UK

Nigel Bean / Meadow Wax Cap {Hygrocybe pratensis} in grassland, Ashton Court, Bristol, UK.

Doug Perrine / Spermaceti candles made from Sperm whale wax, Whaler's village museum, Hawaii

Ingo Arndt / Atlas moth caterpillar with wax coating for protection from parasites {Attacus atlas} Malaysia

Nigel Cattlin / Cushion scale insect (Pulvinaria floccifera) laying eggs on underside of cultivated Rhododendron (Rhododendron sp) leaf. In garden, Berkshire, England, UK. June.

Nigel Cattlin / Cushion scale insect (Pulvinaria floccifera) laying eggs on underside of cultivated Rhododendron (Rhododendron sp) leaf. In garden, Berkshire, England, UK. June.

Nigel Cattlin / Cushion scale insect (Pulvinaria floccifera) on underside of cultivated Rhododendron (Rhododendron sp) leaf. In garden, Berkshire, England, UK. June.

Heather Angel / Stigmas in female flowers of single Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens group) mimic pollen laden stamens produced by male flowers but offer no reward to pollinators, which land on them and pollinate t...

Heather Angel / Ant (Formicidae) nectaring on Geraldton waxflower (Chamelaucium uncinatum). Western Australia Botanic Garden, Kings Park, Perth, Australia. November.

Heather Angel / Geraldton wax flower (Chamelaucium uncinatum), nectar fluorescing in UV light. Western Australia. Controlled conditions, focus stacked. Series 1/2.

Heather Angel / Geraldton wax flower (Chamelaucium uncinatum) in visible light. Western Australia. Controlled conditions, focus stacked. Series 1/2.

Karine Aigner / Wax worms are portioned out by weight as biologist studying Hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus). The food is weighed out to test how much food it takes for the birds to fatten adequately before migratio...

Karine Aigner / Hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus) captive during scientific study, with a wax worm. This bird is part of a study about weight gain, diet and condition prior to migration. Once the thrush has reached i...

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Honeycomb, eaten with wax, larvae and honey. He Xin Chang Forest Reserve, Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, April.

Doug Wechsler / Yellow-plumed parakeets (Leptosittaca branickii) at nest cavity in wax palm stump, Tapichalaca Biological Reserve, Ecuador.

Doug Wechsler / Yellow-plumed parakeets (Leptosittaca branickii) at nest cavity in wax palm tree stump, Tapichalaca Biological Reserve, Ecuador.

Doug Wechsler / Yellow-plumed parakeets (Leptosittaca branickii) at nest cavity in wax palm stump, Tapichalaca Biological Reserve, Ecuador.

Chris Mattison / Wax flower (Hoya serpens) close up of flowers. Cultivated plant from Himalayas.

Paul Bertner / Weevil (Lixus sp) with yellow wax, Antananarivo, Madagascar

Paul Bertner / Planthopper (Ricaniidae) with colourful wax secretions, Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Tanzania

Ingo Arndt / Atlas moth caterpillar with moulted skin; has wax coating for protection against parasites {Attacus atlas} Malaysia

Ingo Arndt / Atlas moth caterpillar with moulted skin, has wax coating for protection against parasites {Attacus atlas} Malaysia

Ingo Arndt / Atlas moth caterpillar with wax coating for protection from parasites {Attacus atlas} Malaysia

Ingo Arndt / Atlas moth caterpillar with wax for protection from parasites {Attacus atlas} Malaysia

Nick Upton / Brown-flowered wax plant / Cardoncillo gris (Ceropegia fusca), a Canaries endemic, growing among volcanic lava rocks in arid coastal scrubland, Tenerife, May.

Nick Upton / Brown-flowered wax plant / Cardoncillo gris (Ceropegia fusca), A Canaries endemic, growing among volcanic lava rocks in arid coastal scrubland, Tenerife, May.

Andy Trowbridge / Silvereye or wax-eye (Zosterops lateralis) perched on driftwood. Birdlings Flat, Canterbury, New Zealand. August.

Pascal Pittorino / Greater wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella) a parasite in the honeycombs of a beehive, Var, Provence, France, September.

Pascal Pittorino / Greater wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella) a parasite emerging from the honeycombs in a beehive, Var, Provence, France, September

Richard Robinson / White Soft Coral (Alcyonium sp) and a Wax Ascidian (Unclassified) reproducing asexually on a dead Black Coral tree in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. April 2014

Richard Robinson / Wax Ascidian (Unclassified) reproducing asexually in Dusky Sound, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. April 2014.

David Woodfall / Honey combs in hive prior to having wax removed and honey extracted by machine, Usk, Gwent, Wales, UK, August.

David Woodfall / Honey on combs, produced by hives of Nick Hunt. Usk, Gwent, Wales, UK, August.

David Woodfall / Beekeeper removing wax from top of honey comb, prior to extracting honey by machine. Usk, Gwent, Wales, UK, August.

David Woodfall / Beekeeper removing wax from top of honey comb, prior to extracting honey by machine. Usk, Gwent, Wales, UK. August 2014.

David Woodfall / Circles of honey and wax built by bees onto circular foundation wax, Usk, Gwent, Wales, UK, August 2014.

David Woodfall / Beekeeper Nick Hunt removing wax from honeycomb. Usk, Gwent, Wales, UK, August 2014.

David Woodfall / Beekeeper Nick Hunt removing wax from honeycomb. Usk, Gwent, Wales, UK, August 2014.

David Woodfall / Beekeeper Nick Hunt taking honey comb to honey extracting machine, Usk, Gwent, Wales, UK. August 2014.

David Woodfall / Beekeeper Nick Hunt removing wax from honeycomb. Usk, Gwent, Wales, UK. August 2014.

David Woodfall / Homemade Wax extractor for melting down bees wax, in allotments Cwmbran, Gwent, Wales, UK. August 2014.

David Woodfall / Diagrams of Honeybees (Apis mellifera) with beeswax products used as educational props at agricultural show. Gwent Beekeepers association stand at Usk agricultural show, Gwent, Wales, UK. September 20...

David Woodfall / Diagrams of Honeybees (Apis mellifera) with beeswax products used as educational props at agricultural show. Gwent Beekeepers association stand at Usk agricultural show, Gwent, Wales, UK. September 20...

John Waters / Tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) crawling over silk nest produced by wax moths (Galleriinae) in an old bird's nest, garden hedge, Somerset, UK, August.

John Waters / Tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) crawling over silk nest produced by wax moths (Galleriinae) in an old bird's nest, garden hedge, Somerset, UK, August.

Ammonite / Buff-tailed bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) feeding on honey from wax cell, France, May.

Ammonite / Buff-tailed bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) inside nest, with larvae in wax cells, France, May.

Ammonite / Close-up of Buff-tailed bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) inside nest, showing wax honey pots, France, May.

Brent Stephenson / Adult female Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) feeding on nectar, with worn plumage. Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand, December.

Brent Stephenson / Adult male Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) feeding on Kniphofia inflorescence. Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, July.

Paul Hobson / Bee moth (Aphomia sociella) male on grass, Sheffield, England, UK, July.

Paul Hobson / Bee moth (Aphomia sociella) female on grass, Sheffield, England, UK, July.

Roland Seitre / Loyalty Grey-backed white-eye (Zosterops lateralis nigrescens) Gossanah, Ouvea, Loyalty Islands Province, New Caledonia.

Terry Whittaker / 2020VISION / Flock of Waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus) flying over a hedge with Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster integerrimus) berries, Whitstable, Kent, England, UK, January. Did you know? Waxwings are so called for the re...

Roland Seitre / Gonzalo Cardona Molina, coordinator of the Andean Parrot Project, in wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense) highlands of Tolima. Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Yellow-eared Parrots (Ognorhynchus icterotis) at their nest hole in wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense). Endangered. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Yellow-eared Parrots (Ognorhynchus icterotis) taking flight from broken wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense). Endangered. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Yellow-eared Parrots (Ognorhynchus icterotis) grooming on broken wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense). Endangered. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Yellow-eared Parrots (Ognorhynchus icterotis) perched on broken wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense). Endangered. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Gonzalo Cardona Molina, coordinator of the Andean Parrot Project, observing yellow-eared parrots in wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense)s. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Yellow-eared Parrots (Ognorhynchus icterotis) perched on broken wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense). Endangered. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Quindio Wax Palms (Ceroxylon quindiuense) in high forested landscape - habitat and breeding areas of the yellow-eared parrot. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Quindio Wax Palms (Ceroxylon quindiuense) in high forested landscape - habitat and breeding areas of the yellow-eared parrot. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Quindio Wax Palms (Ceroxylon quindiuense) in high forested landscape - habitat and breeding areas of the Yellow-eared parrot. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Gonzalo Cardona Molina, coordinator of the Andean Parrot Project, in wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense) highlands of Tolima. Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Quindio Wax Palms (Ceroxylon quindiuense) in high forested landscape - habitat and breeding areas of the yellow-eared parrot. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Roland Seitre / Quindio Wax Palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense), typical trees for yellow-eared parrots to breed in. Tolima, Colombia, 2010.

Piotr Naskrecki / Fulgorid Planthopper (Pterodictya reticularis) with wax that easily breaks off to allow it to escape when attacked, Sipaliwini, Surinam

Simon Colmer / Honey bee wax gland (Apis mellifera) Sussex, UK

Pete Oxford / Huaorani man making a feather crown. The crowns are made from a split vine and feathers from various birds such as toucans, parrots and macaws are glued on with heated bees wax. Gabaro Community, Yasu...

Pete Oxford / Huaorani man making a feather crown. The crowns are made from a split vine and feathers from various birds such as toucans, parrots and macaws are glued on with heated bees wax. Gabaro Community, Yasu...

Pete Oxford / Huaorani man making a feather crown. The crowns are made from a split vine and feathers from various birds such as toucans, parrots and macaws are glued on with heated bees wax. Gabaro Community, Yasu...

Mark Moffett / Bee (Tetragonisca angustula) exiting wax nest entrance, Santa Rita, Panama

Chien Lee / Indonesian Wax Ginger (Tapeinochilos ananassae) flowering, Kuching, Borneo, Malaysia

Angelo Gandolfi / Three Scarlet Wax caps (Hygrophorus / Hygrocybe punicea) fungi

Gary K. Smith / Fruit Propagation 'whip & tongue grafting' gardener grafting Apple (Malus sylvestris) onto M26 grafting stock, applying hot grafting wax to rootstock and attached scion, Sequence 7/7, UK, April

Gary K. Smith / Fruit Propagation 'whip & tongue grafting' gardener grafting Apple (Malus sylvestris) onto M26 grafting stock, applying hot grafting wax to rootstock and attached scion, Sequence 6/7, UK, April

Murray Cooper / Andean Wax Palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense) fruiting, Colombia

Gary K. Smith / Chillies, 'Hungarian wax yellow' drying on garden sieve on the potting shed bench, UK, September.

Robert Thompson / Wax cap fungus {Hygrocybe persistens} Streedagh Dunes, County Silgo, Republic of Ireland, August

Robert Thompson / Wax cap fungus {Hygrocybe conica var conicoides} Streedagh Dunes, County Silgo, Republic of Ireland, August

Robert Thompson / Wax cap fungus {Hygrocybe persistens} Streedagh Dunes, County Silgo, Republic of Ireland, August

Robert Thompson / Wax cap fungus {Hygrocybe conica} Streedagh Dunes, County Silgo, Republic of Ireland, August

Robert Thompson / Wax cap fungus {Hygrocybe conica var conicoides} Streedagh Dunes, County Silgo, Republic of Ireland, August

Martin Gabriel / Sealing wax palm trees (Cyrtostachys renda) native to Malaysia, growing on Tortuga Beach, Costa Rica

Martin Gabriel / Sealing wax palm (Cyrtostachys renda) stem detail, native to Malaysia, growing on Tortuga Beach, Costa Rica