A SIMPLE EXPLAINATION OF BEEKEEPING TERMS

*A SIMPLE EXPLAINATION OF BEEKEEPING TERMS*

 

*APIARY*:

A place with at least one or more colonies. 

*BEEMILK

(royal jelly*: Special secretion produced by young bees (nurse bee) rich in protein, 

fed to young larvae, the queen larvae and the queen. 

*BEESWAX:*

The building material for combs, produced in special glands of young bees.

*BROOD COMB:*

A comb containing cells mainly filled with brood. 

*BROOD:*

Collective name for the eggs, larvae and pupae. 

*CAPPED BROOD:*

Cells closed by a thin layer of wax and pollen under which mature larvae  into pupae. 

*CELLS*:

The little hexagonal sections on both sides of the comb containing brood, pollen or 

honey. 

*BEE COLONY*:

This is a complete biological unit and normally consists of one queen, 

thousand of workers, a few drones and combs which may consists of honey, pollen, and/ or 

brood.

*COMB*:

A hanging sheet of wax with cells on both sides. 

*DRONES:* The male bees which develop from unfertilised eggs. 

*DRONE BROOD:* Eggs, larvae and pupae of drones. 

*FORAGING:* The collecting of pollen, nectar and water by bees. 

*HIVE:* An artificial shelter for the bees. 

*HONEY*: Sugary liquid made from nectar, which is split up into more palatable sugars within 

the honey stomach of the workers and is further processed in the cells. 

*HONEY COMB*: A comb containing only honey. 

*HONEY STOMACH:* The front part of a bee’s stomach, used to transport nectar and to change 

the nectar partially into honey. 

*HOUSE BEES:* The young bees in a colony which have not yet started foraging. 

*LARVA*: In the life cycle of insects generally an egg hatches into larva, then changes pupa from 

which the adult insect emerges. Larva (plural) of the bees are legs and white, looking like fat 

curled worms. 

*MATING FLIGHT:* The flight the queen takes for mating. 

*NECTAR:* The sweet juice which is produced by flowers to attract insects in order to get 

pollinated 

*ORIENTATION FLIGHT:* Flight made by the workers and queens to familiarize themselves 

with the land marks around the hive so that they do not get lost. 

*POLLEN*: The brightly coloured powder produced abundantly by flowers, rich in protein, fat, 

minerals, vitamins. Good for rearing brood. Also important part of the diet for adult bees. 

*POLLINATION:* The transfer of pollen from the male parts of a flower to the female parts of 

another flower (of the same species). Pollination is essential for the development of fruit and 

seeds. Bees pollinate flowers whilst searching for food. 

*PROPOLIS*: Sealing material collected by the bees mainly out of plant gums. Also used to 

make the entrances smaller for the protection of the colony. It is collected from the sticky buds, 

resin drops on tree trunks and branches. It is transported to the hive using the hind legs.

*PRIME SWARM:* The first swarm to leave a strong overcrowded colony together with the old 

queen.

*PUPA*: A stage in the development of the bee between the larva and the mature insect. Pupae 

(plural) do not eat. They change into adult bees within the silky cocoons spun by the larvae. 

*QUEEN:* The mother of the colony and the only female capable of laying fertilized eggs. 

*QUEEN CELL:* The special large cell, shaped like a peanut pod, in which the queen larvae 

develops. 

*SEALED COLONY:* This is ripe honey which has been thickened by the bees (moisture 

removed) and capped with wax. 

*BEESWAX:* The building material for the combs produced in special glands of young workers. 

*WORKER BEE:* Under-developed female. Smallest and most numerous bee in the colony, 

responsible for organization and all the work.