Band 9: The diagram below shows the life cycle of the honey bee. Write a report for a university, lecturer describing the information shown below. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words.

The diagram illustrates the life cycle of a honeybee.

Overall, it is clear that the life cycle consists of four main stages, beginning with egg laying and ending with the development of a fully mature honeybee. The complete process takes approximately 34 to 36 days to finish.

The cycle begins when female honeybees lay one or two oval-shaped eggs. These eggs remain in this form for about 9-10 days before hatching. Once the eggs hatch, immature bees known as nymphs emerge. During their development, the nymphs undergo three moults over a period of around three weeks, growing in size after each stage.

The first moulting occurs around the fifth day after hatching. This is followed by a second moulting after approximately seven days, and a final one after a further nine days. After the last moulting stage, the nymphs develop into young adult bees with their characteristic striped appearance. Finally, the young adult bees become fully mature within about four days, and then the cycle starts over again.