Opening a hive for the first time can feel overwhelming. Frames are full of movement, cells look different from one another, and everything seems important — even when it isn’t.
This guide helps you slow down and interpret what you’re seeing, so inspections feel informative rather than stressful. You don’t need to recognise everything at once. You just need to know what’s normal, what changes with the season, and when something actually deserves attention.
The Three Stages of Brood (The Heart of the Hive)
Eggs
- Tiny, white, rice-grain shaped
- One egg per cell
- Usually hard to spot at first
Seeing eggs means the queen was present within the last three days — even if you don’t see her.
Larvae
- Curved, white grubs lying in a pool of royal jelly
- Grow rapidly over several days
Larvae indicate active brood rearing and a healthy colony rhythm.
Capped Brood
- Cells sealed with light brown – “biscuit colour” wax
- Developing pupae inside
- This photo shows capped worker brood
A good patch of capped brood is one of the strongest signs of colony health.
Worker Brood vs Drone Brood
Worker Brood
- Flat or slightly domed caps
- Tightly grouped together
- Forms the majority of the brood area
This is exactly what you want to see.
Drone Brood
- Larger cells
- More domed caps (often described as “bullet-shaped”)
- Usually found around the edges of frames
Some drone brood is completely normal — especially in spring and early summer.
🚨 Potential concern:
Large patches of drone brood in worker-sized cells may indicate queen issues — but context matters.
Honey, Nectar, and Pollen: Know the Difference
Nectar
- Shiny, liquid appearance
- Often uncapped
- Freshly collected
Honey
- Thick, capped with pale wax
- Stored for long-term food
Capped honey = stored energy.
Pollen
- Comes in many colours (yellow, orange, red, even blue and black)
- Packed tightly into cells
In this photo you can see a lot of pollen packed in cells (as well as a queen bee in the center surrounded by worker bees, and a layer of capped worker brood above them.)
Pollen is protein — essential for brood rearing.
What “Normal” Really Looks Like Inside a Hive
Beginner mistake #1: expecting perfection.
Normal hives often include:
- Uneven brood patterns
- Gaps between brood cells
- Different stages of brood on the same frame
- Mixed food and brood areas
A hive doesn’t need to look neat to be healthy.
You may want to read Beginner Beekeepers’ Common Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them).
When Uneven Brood Is Completely Normal
Uneven brood can happen when:
- A young queen is still settling
- Weather has interrupted laying
- Nectar flow is inconsistent
- The colony is expanding rapidly
Look at patterns over time, not a single inspection.
Patterns That Deserve a Closer Look
Without going into problem diagnosis, gently note if you see:
- Very scattered brood across many frames
- Multiple eggs per cell (in worker cells)
- Large areas of empty cells where brood used to be
- No brood at all during active season
These observations don’t always mean trouble — but they do mean “watch closely”.
Seasonal Differences You’ll See Inside the Hive
| Spring -Rapid brood expansion -Growing brood nest -Increasing pollen and nectar | Summer -Peak brood levels -Honey storage -Clear brood-to-food separation |
| Autumn -Brood area shrinks -Food stores dominate frames | Winter -Tight cluster -Little to no brood |
What looks “wrong” in one season may be perfectly normal in another.
How to Look Without Overthinking
During inspections, ask:
- Is brood present?
- Is there food?
- Do the bees appear calm and purposeful?
If yes — close the hive.
Understanding comes with repetition, not pressure.
Final Thoughts
Learning to read a hive is like learning a new language. At first, everything blends together. With time, patterns emerge — and confidence grows.
You don’t need to identify everything today. You just need to recognise what’s normal for your bees.