2.1 - Able to give an elementary account of the development of queens, workers and drones in the honeybee colony

Queen

Egg to hatching - 3 days
Egg to capped cell - 8 days
Firth larval molt to pupa - 10 days
Pupa molt to adult - 15 days
Egg to eclosing - 16 days
Egg to maturity - 20 days

Purposes

• 4 days learning to fly
• Mating flight
• Egg producing machine
• Produces queen substance
• Could live up to 5 years but usually 1-2 years

Worker

Egg to hatching - 3 days

Egg to capped cell - 8/9 days
Firth larval molt to pupa - 11 days
Pupa molt to adult - 20 days
Egg to eclosing - 21 days

Development stages

1. Days 1-3: Housekeeping - cleaning cells
2. Days 4-6: Nursing brood - feeding older larva
3. Days 7-12: Nursing brood - feeding younger larva
4. Days 13-18: House bee - Waxbuilders, nectar processing, thermoregulation, pollen packing
5. Days 19-21: House bee - Guarding
6. Days 21+ (up to 36 or six weeks): Forager

Winter workers live for up to 6 months.

Development follows the development of glands, but they can regress if the hive needs it. For example if they swarm. 

Drones

Egg to hatching - 3 days

Egg to capped cell - 10 days
Firth larval molt to pupa - 14 days
Pupa molt to adult - 22.5 days
Egg to eclosing - 24 days
Egg to maturity - 37 days

Lives for 22 days

Purely genetic material to mate with a queen

Not loyal to one hive so can spread disease

Dies when mating

Will be kicked out of hive at the end of the season

Are fed by house bees