Bee larvae are a fundamental stage in the life cycle of a bee colony, representing the period of intense growth and development after an egg hatches. These tiny creatures serve as the future workforce, reproducers, or even the new queen of the hive, making their health and proper development directly tied to the colony’s overall well-being and survival. This larval phase involves significant transformations, preparing them for their specialized roles within the intricate social structure of the hive.
Defining Bee Larvae
A bee larva is the second developmental stage in a bee’s complete metamorphosis, following the egg and preceding the pupa. It appears as a soft-bodied, white, legless, and worm-like grub, typically curled into a C-shape at the bottom of its honeycomb cell. Unlike adult bees, larvae are blind and completely dependent on nurse bees for their sustenance. Their primary function during this stage is rapid growth, converting the food they receive into body mass.
The Bee Larval Stages
Bee larvae undergo a period of significant growth and several molts, known as instars, as they develop. During these molts, the larva sheds its outer skin, or exoskeleton, to accommodate its increasing size. This process allows the larva to grow substantially, sometimes increasing its original size by up to 1500 times. Honey bee larvae typically experience five molts during this stage.
The duration of the larval stage varies depending on the bee’s future caste. Worker bee larvae generally spend about six days in this stage, while drone larvae take approximately 6.5 days. Queen bee larvae have the shortest larval period, developing in about 5.5 days. After this rapid growth, the larva prepares for pupation, often spinning a cocoon within its cell before it is capped by worker bees.
Nourishment and Care of Larvae
Bee larvae are entirely dependent on worker bees, specifically nurse bees, for their nourishment and care. Nurse bees, typically younger worker bees between 3 and 12 days old, are responsible for continuously feeding the developing larvae. They visit each larva multiple times a day to provide food.
Initially, all bee larvae receive royal jelly, a milky, protein-rich secretion produced from the glands of nurse bees. Young larvae often float in a pool of this substance. After about two to three days, the diet for worker and drone larvae changes. They begin to consume a mixture of pollen and honey, often referred to as “bee bread,” a fermented blend packed with nutrients. Queen larvae, however, continue to be fed exclusively with royal jelly throughout their entire larval development.
Different Larvae, Different Fates
A single fertilized bee egg has the potential to develop into either a worker bee or a queen bee, while unfertilized eggs develop into drones. The factors determining whether a female larva becomes a worker or a queen are primarily diet and the cell in which they are reared.
Worker and drone larvae receive royal jelly for only their first few days, after which their diet shifts to bee bread. This change in nutrition, along with the presence of chemicals found in bee bread, influences gene expression and guides their development towards their respective worker or drone characteristics. In contrast, larvae destined to become queens are continuously fed large quantities of royal jelly throughout their entire larval stage. This sustained, nutrient-rich diet triggers specific developmental pathways, leading to the formation of a reproductive queen. The size and shape of the honeycomb cell also play a role, with larger, specially constructed cells being used for queens and drones.