C1 · 50 words
Beekeeping in Spanish
Colony, comb, flow, varroa — what is said at the hives.
El zángano is the male bee, the one with no sting and no job but the mating flight, and both languages went on to call an idle man the same thing: « he's a drone », es un zángano. There English kept going and Spanish did not. English gave « drone » to the low steady hum of an engine, then to the flying machine that makes it — and Spanish, needing a word for the machine, borrowed the English one back as el dron rather than reuse its own bee. The insect stayed at home; only the English one learned to fly with a camera.
The words
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Verb (1)
desopercularto take those caps offVerbC1
Hay que desopercular el cuadro antes de extraer.The frame has to have its caps taken off before spinning.
Phrase (26)
la abeja obrerathe worker beePhraseC1
La abeja obrera hace todos los oficios de la colonia.The worker bee does every job in the colony.
la abeja reinathe queen beePhraseC1
La abeja reina lleva una marca de color.The queen bee carries a spot of colour.
la cera de abejathe wax the bees makePhraseC1
La cera de abeja se funde y se vuelve a usar.The wax the bees make is melted down and used again.
el cuadro móvilthe frame that lifts outPhraseC1
El cuadro móvil permite mirar sin romper nada.The frame that lifts out lets you look without breaking anything.
la cámara de críathe part of the hive with the broodPhraseC1
La cámara de cría queda debajo.The part of the hive with the brood sits underneath.
el velo de apicultorthe veil over the facePhraseC1
El velo de apicultor se cierra antes de abrir.The veil over the face is closed before the hive is opened.
la jalea realthe food that turns a larva into a queenPhraseC1
La jalea real decide qué larva será reina.The food that turns a larva into a queen decides which one it is.
la miel de mil floresthe honey of many flowers at oncePhraseC1
La miel de mil flores cambia con cada valle.The honey of many flowers at once changes with every valley.
la miel monofloralthe honey of one flower onlyPhraseC1
La miel monofloral exige mover las colmenas.The honey of one flower only means moving the hives.
la cristalización de la mielthe setting of the honey into crystalsPhraseC1
La cristalización de la miel no es un defecto.The setting of the honey into crystals is not a fault.
el extractor de mielthe drum that spins the honey outPhraseC1
El extractor de miel gira despacio al principio.The drum that spins the honey out turns slowly at first.
la cata de mielthe tasting of honeysPhraseC1
La cata de miel empieza por el olor.The tasting of honeys begins with the smell.
la trashumancia apícolathe moving of the hives to follow the flowersPhraseC1
La trashumancia apícola se hace de noche.The moving of the hives to follow the flowers is done at night.
la danza de las abejasthe dance that tells the others where to goPhraseC1
La danza de las abejas indica dirección y distancia.The dance that tells the others where to go gives direction and distance.
la feromona realthe scent that holds the colony togetherPhraseC1
La feromona real mantiene unida a la colonia.The scent that holds the colony together keeps it one thing.
la cría operculadathe brood sealed under waxPhraseC1
La cría operculada ocupa el centro del cuadro.The brood sealed under wax fills the middle of the frame.
la puesta de la reinathe laying of eggs by the queenPhraseC1
La puesta de la reina se para en agosto.The laying of eggs by the queen stops in August.
la fecundación de la reinathe mating of the queenPhraseC1
La fecundación de la reina ocurre en vuelo.The mating of the queen happens in the air.
el núcleo de abejasthe small colony made from a big onePhraseC1
El núcleo de abejas se forma en primavera.The small colony made from a big one is made up in spring.
el tratamiento antivarroathe treatment against that mitePhraseC1
El tratamiento antivarroa va después de la cosecha.The treatment against that mite comes after the harvest.
la loque americanathe disease that means burning the boxesPhraseC1
La loque americana obliga a destruir el material.The disease that means burning the boxes leaves no choice.
la avispa asiáticathe hornet that came from abroadPhraseC1
La avispa asiática caza delante de la piquera.The hornet that came from abroad hunts in front of the hive.
la alimentación de inviernothe feeding done before winterPhraseC1
La alimentación de invierno se calcula por peso.The feeding done before winter is worked out by weight.
el jarabe de alimentaciónthe sugar syrup fed to themPhraseC1
El jarabe de alimentación se da al atardecer.The sugar syrup fed to them is given at dusk.
el servicio de polinizaciónthe hiring of hives to pollinate a cropPhraseC1
El servicio de polinización se contrata por hectárea.The hiring of hives to pollinate a crop is priced by the hectare.
la picadura de abejathe bee stingPhraseC1
La picadura de abeja deja el aguijón dentro.The bee sting leaves the sting in the skin.
Noun (f) (12)
la apiculturathe keeping of beesNoun (f)C1
La apicultura depende del tiempo más que del imán.The keeping of bees depends on the weather more than on the keeper.
la colmenathe single hiveNoun (f)C1
La colmena pesa treinta kilos en plena temporada.The single hive weighs thirty kilos at the height of the season.
la celdillathe single six-sided cellNoun (f)C1
La celdilla tiene seis lados.The single six-sided cell has six sides.
la mieladathe honey made from what aphids leaveNoun (f)C1
La mielada del encinar da una miel oscura.The honey made from what aphids leave comes out dark.
la floraciónthe time the flowers are outNoun (f)C1
La floración del romero se adelanta cada año.The time the flowers are out comes earlier every year.
la piquerathe slot the bees fly in and out ofNoun (f)C1
La piquera se estrecha en invierno.The slot the bees fly in and out of is narrowed for winter.
la realerathe long cell a queen is raised inNoun (f)C1
La realera cuelga del borde del panal.The long cell a queen is raised in hangs from the edge of the comb.
la enjambrazónthe leaving of half the colony with the old queenNoun (f)C1
La enjambrazón cuesta media cosecha.The leaving of half the colony with the old queen costs half the crop.
la varroathe mite on the beesNoun (f)C1
La varroa se cuenta sobre una bandeja.The mite on the bees is counted on a tray.
la nosemosisthe gut disease of springNoun (f)C1
La nosemosis debilita al volar en primavera.The gut disease of spring weakens them on the first flights.
la invernadathe getting through the winterNoun (f)C1
La invernada decide cuántas colmenas quedan.The getting through the winter decides how many hives are left.
la polinizaciónthe carrying of pollen from flower to flowerNoun (f)C1
La polinización vale más que la miel.The carrying of pollen from flower to flower is worth more than the honey.
Noun (m) (11)
el colmenarthe place where the hives standNoun (m)C1
El colmenar está al abrigo del viento.The place where the hives stand is out of the wind.
el enjambrethe swarm that leavesNoun (m)C1
El enjambre salió al mediodía.The swarm that leaves went out at midday.
el zánganothe male beeNoun (m)C1
El zángano no tiene aguijón.The male bee has no sting.
el panalthe combNoun (m)C1
El panal se construye desde arriba.The comb is built from the top down.
el opérculothe wax cap over a full cellNoun (m)C1
El opérculo indica que la miel está madura.The wax cap over a full cell says the honey is ripe.
el ahumadorthe tin that makes the smokeNoun (m)C1
El ahumador calma a las abejas.The tin that makes the smoke settles the bees.
el néctarthe sweet liquid the flowers giveNoun (m)C1
El néctar se transforma en la boca de la obrera.The sweet liquid the flowers give is changed in the worker's mouth.
el polenthe dust the flowers giveNoun (m)C1
El polen llega en las patas traseras.The dust the flowers give arrives on the back legs.
el propóleothe resin the bees seal cracks withNoun (m)C1
El propóleo sella cada rendija.The resin the bees seal cracks with closes every gap.
el decantadorthe tank the honey stands in to clearNoun (m)C1
El decantador deja subir las burbujas.The tank the honey stands in to clear lets the bubbles rise.
el aguijónthe sting left behind in the skinNoun (m)C1
El aguijón se retira raspando.The sting left behind in the skin is scraped out.
This list belongs to Farming and food production — 14 lists and 700 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.