Beekeeping Terms beginning with N

Click one of the letters above to go to the page of all terms beginning with that letter.
N1

Frame size. N= National. A DN is a Deep National. An SN would be a Super National. The 1 refers to the top and side bar. N1's have narrow top bars, 22mm and straight sided side bars, also 22mm. These generally need spacers (brood) or castellations (supers).

N2

Frame size. N= National. A DN is a Deep National. An SN would be a Super National. The 2 refers to the top and side bar. N2's have wider top bars, 27mm and straight sided side bars, also 27mm. These may need spaces (brood) or castellations (supers).

N4

Frame size. N= National. A DN is a Deep National. An SN would be a Super National. The 4 refers to the top and side bar. N4's have narrow top bars, 22mm and hoffman side bars, that is self spacing side bars.

N5

Frame size. N= National. A DN is a Deep National. An SN would be a Super National. The 5 refers to the top and side bar. N5's have wide top bars, 27mm and hoffman side bars, that is self spacing side bars.

Nasonov Gland

a gland that only the worker bees have near the base of their abdomens. It produces a variety of chemicals, pheromones, that workers use to signal other bees, commonly in directing bees to come to the colony. Bees will dip their heads, tip their abdomens upwards and expose the gland while fanning their wings to spread the signal.

National Hive

a bottom bee space, single walled hive. Very commonly used in Scotland. Its parts are compatible with WBC hives.

Nectar

a sucrose based sugary substance produced by many flowers and trees to entice insects to visit them and aid in pollination. Can be up to 60% water (usually about 20%) which the  bees have to reduce to around 17% to make honey which does not ferment due to the lower water content.

Nosema

there are two fungal microsporidians that cause dysentery in bees, Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae. Contact the National Bee Unit for testing of your bees if you see signs of dysentery in the hive. http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm

Nucleus

usually of 4 or 5 frames in a small nucleus box, wood or polystyrene. Beginners often buy a nucleus to get their first bees. It will include one queen and a few thousand workers, there should be brood of all stages and some stores.

Nurse Bee

newly hatched worker bees begin their adult life by cleaning cells ready for the queen to lay in. They then progress to feeding the older larvae with a mixture of pollen and honey, bee bread. As they mature further their hypopharangeal glands also mature and they begin to produce royal jelly and can then feed the younger larvae and then the queen. She progresses to be a house bee.