North Carolina Bee School Practice Exam

Do honey supers contain brood?

1. Yes, they do

2. No, they do not

3. Only occasionally

4. Only if not monitored

The correct answer is: No, they do not

Honey supers are designated areas of the beehive that are specifically intended for the storage of honey. In a properly managed hive, brood—meaning the eggs, larvae, and pupae—is typically found in the lower brood boxes, where the queen lays eggs. This separation is crucial because it allows the colony to maintain optimal conditions for rearing young bees while also providing enough space for honey storage. When beekeepers manage their hives, they place honey supers above the brood boxes. This encourages foraging bees to deposit nectar into the supers, where it will eventually be processed into honey. If brood were to occupy the honey supers, it would indicate that the space is not being utilized according to the best practices of bee management, potentially leading to issues such as overcrowding and competition for resources between the brood and stored honey. In most cases, the presence of brood in honey supers would be considered a sign of a mismanaged hive, as it can lead to complications for both the bees and the beekeeper. Therefore, honey supers are expected to be free from brood, confirming that the correct answer is that they do not contain any brood.