The diagram illustrates the multiple stages of a honey bee’s life over a 34-36 day period with intervals during the period.
Overall, the life cycle of the honey bee starts with the female’s laying up eggs, continues with transformational stages such as molting and culminates in emerging young bees with ongoing maturation resulting in readiness for reproduction.
The cycle commences with the female bee laying 1 or 2 eggs, which happens every three days. These eggs hatch after 9-10 days, transforming into nymphs. These nymphs undergo moulting three times in the process of growth. The first molting happens 5 days after hatching, followed by the other two moltings occurring in 7 days and 9 days.
Thereafter, the transformation of nymphs to younger adults happens, marking the last stage. However, these younger bees take four days to become completely mature and be ready to start the cycle again and reproduce other eggs.
