When the eggs are laid there is a strand of mucous used to connect the eggs to the cell. Within a matter of days, the digestive and nervous systems are formed. In about three days the eggs will become larvae. Then the nurse bees will feed them and help them grow into the gender and role for which they were laid.
Bee Larvae Transformed
Three days after the queen lays an egg it will have developed into bee larvae with all major systems starting to be formed. The queen fertilizes, and lays eggs based upon cell size. The larger cells are generally for drones, while the smaller cells are for workers.
The fertilized eggs are the female bees (workers and queens) and the non-fertilized eggs are the male bees (drones). After the eggs have turned into bee larvae they are fed royal jelly. For fertilized eggs, the number of days they are fed royal jelly will decide their role as either worker or queen. Bees secrete royal jelly to feed their larvae and queen. Queens are fed royal jelly all the way through their hatching process which is 16 days.
Worker bee and drone larvae are only fed royal jelly for the first 2-3 days, with worker bees taking 21 days to exit the cell and drones 24 days.
How Long Does a Honeybee Live?
Honey bees live for different lengths of time, depending upon their role in the hive and the time of year they are born. Let’s take a closer look at how these variables can impact the hive.
Drones
Drones do not live very long. Because their main purpose it to breed and spread genetics, they often die early in life, given that the breeding process kills them. If they are alive as the colder months approach, they face eviction from the hive and subsequent death.
Worker Bees
The life span of worker bees varies. If they are born and put to work during the busy season, they might live to around 6 weeks or less. If they are born in a non-peak season, they might survive to 7 weeks old.
Winter bees are different! They have a higher blood protein and a fatter body, meant to produce heat for the queen. Winter bees can live anywhere from 4-6 months, through the winter.
A worker bee will collect honey from foraging bees and act as a nurse bee, tending to the bee larvae. As she gets older she is promoted to foraging bee. This wears her down quickly, as this is very physical work for such a small creature.
Queen Bees
After her mating flights, the queen bee spends her life inside the hive, laying eggs. Her biggest danger is during her mating flights and the possibility of disease. If these threats are avoided, then she can live on for 4 years or more.
Life in the Hive
Pros and Cons of a Large Population Hive
Bees have large hives during the warmer seasons. The reasons for this are simple. The more workers available, the more food can be gathered. The hive will also have greater protection against hive beetles and mites. Additionally, there will be more bees available to help with wax production, which is good for the queen as she prefers to lay in fresh comb.
Within reason, the larger the hive the better the health of the hive. Even as a hive goes into winter, bees know to downsize their numbers, so they won’t have as many mouths to feed during this time. Having a queen that is a great egg-layer is invaluable to the health of her hive.
Planning for winter
Bees downsize as they approach the colder months, so they won’t need as many resources during this time.
Conclusion
The reproduction and life of a honeybee is fascinating. These tiny creatures face so many challenges in their daily lives. Yet, they still share the same common goal: reproduce, create a genetically strong colony and survive.
To wrap up this section, this video summarizes the life cycle of a honey bee.