The series of knee-jerk responses that regulatory authorities placed to try and control the spread of tracheal mite, and then varroa mite required that hives had to be inspected.
Beeswax is a fatty waxy compound. This means that anything that is lipophilic will dissolve in it. Lipophilic compounds are those that are attracted to be dissolved in fats and not water.
I believe that skep beekeeping will, as varroa resistance becomes more widespread, become a healthy, safe, traditional way of keeping bees that is not capital intensive, is aesthetically pleasing, and allows bees to live in urban spaces.