Hive inspection glossary: the words in your record
Plain definitions for the frame, brood, stores and follow-up terms used in an inspection notebook.
Read the record, then ask the question
This small glossary explains the language used across our inspection record. It is a reading aid, not a way to identify disease or choose a colony manipulation. Use practical training and the original NBU spring-check guidance alongside it.
| Term | Meaning in an inspection record | Useful note to add |
|---|---|---|
| Apiary | The place where beehives are kept. | Use a consistent site identifier. |
| Brood | Developing bees: eggs, larvae and pupae. | Say which stages you saw and where. |
| Brood nest | The area of comb occupied by developing bees. | Describe the frames examined, rather than assuming you saw the whole nest. |
| Comb | The wax structure of cells in which bees rear brood and store food. | Distinguish brood from food observations. |
| Frame | The removable structure supporting comb. | State your numbering convention before comparing visits. |
| Larvae | The developing stage after the egg and before the pupa. | Record what you can see; ask for help interpreting unusual appearance. |
| Sealed brood | Developing brood in cells covered with wax cappings. | Record the extent observed without treating a pattern as a diagnosis. |
| Stores | Food held in the hive, including honey and pollen. | Say where you looked and what was visible. |
| Queen cell | A cell built to rear a queen. | Record number, location and visible contents, then seek experienced advice. |
| Temperament | How the colony behaves during the visit. | Describe behaviour and conditions rather than writing only “bad”. |
The basic structure and life-stage terms above were also checked against the Rutgers NJAES beekeeping glossary. This page uses plain definitions rather than reproducing that glossary.
For queen-cell context, read what to record and tell your mentor. For observations that concern you, use the brood-disease reporting guide.
Three record terms that prevent confusion
Seen means you observed it. Not seen means you looked but did not observe it. Not checked means you did not examine it. These are editorial record conventions, not biological findings: “eggs not seen” does not prove the queen is absent.
Observation is what you noticed. Interpretation is what you think it might mean. Action is what you did or plan to do. Keep these separate so someone helping you can understand your evidence. Our worked handover example shows this distinction in practice.
Learn the language with someone at the hive
The BBKA getting-started guide recommends local association training and mentor support. Bring a short list of unfamiliar terms to your next supported visit; ask your mentor to show you the relevant structure and explain what remains uncertain.
Sources and further reading
Editorial review: 2026-11-02. Follow the original guidance if it changes.
NBU guidance was reviewed using indexed official source text. Direct access to the NBU website was unavailable during review; check its current guidance before acting.