Wax has traitionally referred to a substance that is secreted by bees (beeswax) and used by them in constructing their honeycombs.

Trivia about wax

  • Daedalus used this substance to fasten the wings to his back
  • A material used on skis, or a material that removes excess eyebrow
  • Icarus could have told you it's not a good idea to fly if your wings are held together with this
  • Encaustic painting, practiced by the ancient Greeks, uses this melted insect substance as a binder
  • A Sally Hansen product uses this hot substance to remove unwanted hair
  • Queen Elizabeth II, seen here
  • Batik is painting on cloth to which this substance has been applied
  • A produce supplier may have added this to your cucumber to give it a glossy look; if so, peel it prior to eating
  • Unfortunately for window dressers, many early mannequins were made of this & didn't last in the heat of summer
  • This substance produced by bees is used in the making of candles & cosmetics
  • It's the main ingredient in a candle
  • The ballet "Icare" finds the title character soaring high in the air, but alas, his wings are held together with this
  • Encaustic painting, used since ancient times, applies this animal product to a rigid surface & fixes it with heat
  • Many of the figures Degas modeled in clay or this substance were cast in bronze after his death
  • A method of casting for bronze sculptures, cire-perdue means "lost" this in English
  • It's what Daedalus used to hold the feathers together in the wings he made for himself & his son