Beekeeping Glossary
This list of terms comes from Cornell University’s Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Studies.
There are currently 14 terms in this directory beginning with the letter A.
abdomen
The abdomen is one of three main body segments of insects (which also include the head and thorax). The abdomen contains the digestive and reproductive systems.
Africanized honey bee
The Africanized honey bee, colloquially called the killer bee, is a hybrid of Apis mellifera scutellata (A), and Apis mellifera mellifera (M). These bees are known for their aggressive nature and sustained defense of their hives.
afterswarm
An afterswarm is a second, smaller swarm that can occur a few days following a colony’s first swarm.
Altruism
Altruism, biologically speaking, is animal behavior that benefits another animal at the expense of the first, in terms of survival or reproduction. Worker bees that forgo their own reproduction in order to help the queen reproduce is one of the most extreme examples of altruism in nature. See kin selection.
amino acid
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They are a necessary part of bees’ (and humans’) diets, necessary to function and develop. Pollen is the source of amino acids in bee bread and royal jelly.
Apiary
An apiary is a collection of one or more hives, also called a bee yard. Most backyard beekeepers have only one apiary, but commercial beekeepers may manage dozens.
Apidae
Apidae is a family classification of bees. It is the largest family of bees and includes honey bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees, and many others.
Apis mellifera
Apis mellifera is the scientific name for the Western honey bee. Apis is the genus and mellifera is the species. Mellifera means “bearer or maker of honey” (melli means “honey” and fera means “bearer”).
arthropods (Arthropoda)
Arthropoda is one of the many phyla of the animal kingdom. Honey bees are in the phylum Arthropoda, and are therefore known as arthropods. All arthropods are invertebrates and have jointed bodies and paired jointed appendages.
artificial queen insemination (also known as instrumental insemination)
Artificial queen insemination is a method of controlled mating where semen from a drone is used to inseminate a queen.
