favos

Favos is the plural form of favo in Portuguese and Spanish, where it refers to the honeycomb cells built by honeybees. In beekeeping, a favo denotes the hexagonal cell structure formed from beeswax that bees construct to store honey, pollen, and to rear brood.

A favo is typically hexagonal, a geometry that uses wax efficiently while providing strength. The standard diameter of worker cells is about 5.2 to 5.5 millimeters; drone cells are larger, roughly 6.2 to 6.5 millimeters. The arrangement of favos within a hive supports both storage and brood development, with brood areas often interspersed with sections containing honey and pollen.

Etymology and usage: The term derives from the Latin favus, meaning honeycomb. In everyday Spanish and Portuguese, favos are used to describe a beehive’s individual combs, and the general beehive may be referred to as a panal in Spanish or as um favo de mel in Portuguese.

In apiculture, favos are inspected as part of routine hive management to assess colony health, honey stores, and brood viability. The concept of favos is central to understanding honey production, bee biology, and hive structure, while regional terminology may vary slightly between Iberian languages.