Fresh wax is white or cream colored. As it ages it darkens due to other products the bees apply to it, such as propolis. But the thing that makes it appear almost black is the thin casings left behind after the adult bee emerges from the cell. Each generation leaves a thin layer behind that darkens over time and use.
To keep up with my apiary and track the hives, visit My Apiary page at:
http://thebeevlog.blogspot.com/p/apiary.html
