Bees undergo complete metamorphosis (holometabolism), passing through four distinct life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. While this basic pattern applies to all bees, the details vary considerably between species. Here we focus on the two most familiar groups in the UK: honeybees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus species).
The Honeybee Life Cycle
Egg Stage
The queen honeybee is the only fertile female in the colony and can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day at peak production. She lays each egg vertically in a wax cell. Fertilised eggs develop into female workers or queens, while unfertilised eggs develop into male drones. This sex-determination system is called haplodiploidy.
Larval Stage
Eggs hatch after approximately three days. The tiny, legless, white larva is fed by nurse bees. All larvae receive royal jelly (a protein-rich secretion from worker bee glands) for the first three days. After that, worker and drone larvae are switched to a diet of pollen and honey (“bee bread”), while larvae destined to become queens continue receiving royal jelly throughout their development. It is this dietary difference that determines whether a female larva becomes a worker or a queen.
| Caste | Egg to Hatching | Larval Stage | Pupal Stage | Total Development |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queen | 3 days | 5.5 days | 7.5 days | ~16 days |
| Worker | 3 days | 6 days | 12 days | ~21 days |
| Drone | 3 days | 6.5 days | 14.5 days | ~24 days |
Pupal Stage
Once the larva has completed its growth (after about six days), nurse bees cap the cell with wax. Inside the sealed cell, the larva spins a thin cocoon and undergoes pupation — the transformation from larva to adult. During this stage, adult structures including wings, legs, compound eyes, and antennae develop. The pupa does not feed.
Adult Stage
The fully formed adult bee chews through the wax cap and emerges. Worker bees progress through a series of age-dependent roles within the hive:
- Days 1–3: Cell cleaner. The young worker cleans empty cells in preparation for new eggs.
- Days 3–10: Nurse bee. She feeds larvae with royal jelly and bee bread.
- Days 10–16: Wax producer. Wax glands on the abdomen become active; she builds and repairs comb.
- Days 16–20: Receiver and processor. She receives nectar from foragers, processes it into honey, and packs pollen.
- Days 20–21: Guard bee. She defends the hive entrance against intruders.
- Days 21+: Forager. She leaves the hive to collect nectar, pollen, water, and propolis until death (typically after 4–6 weeks in summer).
Did you know? A queen honeybee can live for 3–5 years, while summer worker bees live only 4–6 weeks. Winter workers, which are physiologically different, can survive for 4–6 months to carry the colony through to spring.
The Bumblebee Life Cycle
Bumblebee colonies are annual — unlike honeybee colonies, which are perennial. Only mated queens survive the winter; the rest of the colony dies.
Bumblebee Annual Cycle
- Spring: A mated queen emerges from hibernation, finds a nest site (often an old mouse hole), and starts a colony alone. She builds wax cells, lays eggs, and forages to feed the first brood herself.
- Early summer: The first workers emerge and take over foraging and nest duties. The queen becomes a full-time egg-layer.
- Mid to late summer: The colony reaches peak size (50–400 workers, depending on species). The queen begins producing males (drones) and new queens (gynes).
- Autumn: New queens mate with drones from other colonies. The mated queens feed heavily, then find a sheltered spot to hibernate underground.
- Winter: The old queen, workers, and drones die. Only the mated new queens survive.
Solitary Bee Life Cycles
The UK is home to over 240 species of solitary bees, each female of which builds and provisions her own nest without the help of workers. The female constructs a series of cells (in soil, hollow stems, or masonry), provisions each with a ball of pollen mixed with nectar, lays a single egg on each pollen mass, and seals the cell. The larva feeds on the pollen mass, pupates, and emerges as an adult, often the following spring. Red mason bees (Osmia bicornis) and leafcutter bees (Megachile species) are common examples.
Key Takeaway
All bees pass through egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. Honeybee development takes 16–24 days depending on caste, with workers progressing through distinct hive roles before becoming foragers. Bumblebee colonies are annual, founded by a single queen in spring. Understanding these life cycles is essential for effective bee conservation.