In their book "Superorganism" the authors make the following distinction which I believe applies to the long conversation we have been having about the honey bee nest
NICHE
The range of each environmental variable, such as temperature, humidity, and food items, within which a species can exist and reproduce. The preferred niche is the one in which the species performs best, and the realized niche is the one in which it actually comes to live in a particular environment.
PLB
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