In
entomology, the term
brood is used to refer to the embryo or
egg, the
larva and the
pupa stages in the life of
holometabolous insects. The brood of
honey bees develops within a
bee hive. In man-made, removable frame hives, such as
Langstroth hives, each frame which is mainly brood is called a
brood frame. Brood frames usually have some
pollen and
nectar or
honey in the upper corners of the frame. The rest of the brood frames cells may be empty or occupied by brood in various developmental stages. During the brood raising season, the bees may reuse the cells from which brood has emerged for additional brood or convert it to honey or pollen storage. Bees show remarkable flexibility in adapting cells to a use best suited for the hive's survival.