While many animals have distinct terms for their offspring, like “kitten” for a baby cat or “puppy” for a baby dog, the development of bees is quite unique. This means that “baby bee” is not a single, simple term, but rather refers to different stages of their growth.
The Official Names for Young Bees
There is no single common name for “baby bees” in the same way there is for mammals or birds. Instead, young bees are referred to by different terms depending on their developmental stage. These stages include the “larva” (plural: larvae) and the “pupa” (plural: pupae). Larvae are described as small, white, legless grubs that resemble tiny sausages. As they develop, they transform into pupae, which begin to take on a more recognizable bee shape, though still enclosed within a cell.
Understanding Bee Metamorphosis
Bees undergo a process called complete metamorphosis, which involves four distinct life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This transformation is a significant restructuring of the insect’s body. The life cycle begins when the queen bee lays a tiny, white, cylindrical egg into a hexagonal honeycomb cell. The egg stage typically lasts for about three days.
After three days, the egg hatches into a larva, which is a worm-like, blind, and legless grub. During this stage, the larva eats and grows rapidly. Worker bees continuously feed the larvae. After six days in the larval stage, the larva spins a cocoon around itself inside the cell.
The larva then enters the pupal stage, where it undergoes internal and external changes within the sealed cell. During this period, the pupa develops adult features such as eyes, legs, and wings. The pupal stage for worker bees lasts 10 to 12 days. Once the transformation is complete, the fully formed adult bee chews its way out of the wax capping and emerges from the cell.
Beyond the Name: Caring for Young Bees
Young bees receive specialized care within the hive, primarily from younger worker bees known as nurse bees. These nurse bees are responsible for feeding the developing larvae. They secrete royal jelly, a nutrient-rich substance that is fed to all larvae initially. Larvae destined to become queen bees continue to receive royal jelly exclusively throughout their development, which triggers the growth of queen-specific traits like a fully developed reproductive system and a longer lifespan.
Worker and drone larvae, however, are switched to a diet of “bee bread” after the first few days of royal jelly. Bee bread is a mixture of pollen and honey, which provides the necessary proteins, vitamins, minerals, and sugars for their growth. Nurse bees visit individual larvae throughout their development to provide food and ensure the hive environment, including temperature and cleanliness, supports their growth. Hive temperatures are maintained within a range of 34-36°C (93-97°F) for proper brood development.