abacterial. Free from the presence of bacteria
apiary. A place where bees are kept
congregation zone. A specific aerial location where male bees from different colonies gather and wait for virgin queens they hope to mate with
corbiculae. A flat area lined with long, wiry hairs located on the back legs of worker bees, used to store collected pollen during transport
diploid. An organism that has two complete sets of chromosomes
endophallus. A bee penis which is held internally until the time of mating when it is turned inside out
grafting. A process used by queen breeders that involves transferring larvae from natural brood cells to artificial queen cells for the purpose of raising queen bees
haploid. An organism with only one set of chromosomes
inflorescence. A cluster of flowers that grow close together arranged on a stem
mating colony. A small queenless colony used in queen breeding for housing individual queens as they emerge, mate and lay their first eggs
nectar flow. A term used by beekeepers to describe the amount of nectar available in the area around their hives at any given time
pheromone. A chemical scent signal released by bees and brood, used for communication and social organization
proboscis. An elongated tubular mouth part used for the collection of liquids, such as nectar or water, a bee tongue
propolis. A sticky resinous substance that bees make from a mixture of saliva, beeswax and plant saps with antimicrobial properties, used to fill cracks and sterilize the hive
queen cups. Immature queen cells, wax structures that resemble acorn tops that may house an egg or larva that workers intend to raise as a queen bee
queen excluder. A metal or plastic grate used in beekeeping to restrict the movement of the queen bee within the hive; a screen that allows worker bees to pass through but excludes the queen, preventing her from laying brood in honeycombs the beekeeper intends to harvest
queen substance. A cocktail of chemical substances excreted by mature queens, plays a role in colony organization
queenright. A term used by beekeepers to describe a colony of honey bees that has a queen bee in contrast with a colony that has lost its queen
royal jelly. A special food excreted by young worker bees, used to feed larvae and adult queens
spermatheca. An organ in which sperm is stored after mating
starter colony. A small colony of bees with comb, brood, and a laying queen, often created to sell to another beekeeper
superorganism. An organized society of organisms from the same species who live in such synergy they can be considered one organism
supersedure. The natural process of worker bees raising a new queen the for the purpose of replacing the existing one
swarm. A group of worker bees and a queen who have recently split from their mother colony for the purpose of establishing a new colony
swarm cells. Queen cells built to raise new queens in preparation for swarming, located on the edges of the combs
symbiotes. Two organisms in a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship