Do bee keepers bees produce propolis & is it possible to buy it from them please? Sorry if it's a ridiculous question ;).
yes..yes...no..not ridiculous at all...
If you know a beekeeper go and ask them to save you some...if it is used internally/eaten..let them know that they can produce it a little cleaner method.. ;D
Bees collect/produce propolis,. Beekeepers can collect it.
Find a local beekeeping association, contact them to find a local (to you) beekeeper. ;)
The amount varies a lot from strain to strain, but they varnish the inside of the hive with it, use it to strengthen wax, sometimes block an overlarge entrance with it, or propolis over a dead animal in the hive. You get lumps of it which build up, and I just scrape it off and use it medicinally.
I had a strain of black bees that produced huge amounts of propolis. Inspecting the hive on a nice warm day was one of the most unpleasant beekeeping experiences I have had. There was so much propolis it was like someone had poured treacles over the frames. It was so bad that the bees were getting stuck in it and i kept sticking to the hive. Added to which they were vicious bees, as though they all had PMT. I did not mind them bouncing up and down on me and banging on the veil. It was the running up my cuffs and joining me in the veil that I did not like and following me for 200 yards and round corners. Don't have them now - it was me or them I think, but they could have produced pounds of the stuff.
I've heard of strains producing that much propolis, but I've never seen it. I get small patches of old comb where the cells have been filled with propolis for some reason, but that's as far as it goes.
If I get a hive as nasty as that I requeen it before someone (other than me that is) gets stung.
put a hive near a row of populars, they can then produce loads of propolis.