PHYLUM ARTHROPODA 



319 



cover the cell with a thin wax cap. After twelve days (three weeks from 

 the day the egg was laid) the pupa molts to form a full-grown adult that 

 cuts off the cap and emerges. 



First the new bee busies herself cleaning out newly vacated cells to 

 prepare them for a new generation of larvae. After a few days the salivary 

 glands begin to secrete royal jelly and the major duty of the bee is to 

 feed larvae. Young adult Avorkers feed heavily upon protein-rich pollen 

 to produce this jelly. The worker also "weans" the two-day old larvae, 

 feeding them the beebread that she has chewed thoroughly. Groups of 

 young workers care for a whole brood of yotmg, feeding each of them 

 two or three thousand times during the six days of their larval life. 

 Calculations show that one worker working full time can take care of 

 the needs of only two or three larvae! 



Toward the end of this period of caring for the larvae the young 

 worker begins to fly short distances from the hive. After the tenth day 

 the secretion of royal jelly stops and the wax glands begin to function. 

 The worker then becomes a builder of new honeycomb. In addition she 

 receives nectar and pollen brought to the hive. Pollen is stored in cells 

 next to the brood cells, while nectar is placed peripherally. Many of the 

 bees sit over the nectar cells fanning the air with their wings to increase 

 the rate of evaporation. When cells are filled with honey or pollen they 

 are capped with wax. 



At this age the worker also carries debris and dead bees out of the 

 hive, taking them off some distance and dropping them. Toward the end 

 of this period a certain number of wax-secreting bees guard the entrance 

 of the nest, inspecting all incomers to be sure that they are bees of their 

 colony (which they recognize by smell). Raiding bees, wasps, beetles and 

 flies are stung mercilessly by these guards. Curiously, the stinger does not 



Egg J^ 3d.a.ys 



Larva- 



■ G days 



Papa 



30 dayst 



Fora^ 



er 



'^ ^''^^^BuUder 



Waoc secretion 



-Roya.1 jelly secretion 



Nurse bee 

 Figure 1 6.28. Life cycle of the worker honeybee. The first 21 days are spent in a cell 

 of the comb. All growth takes place during the six days of larval life. Adults are drawn 

 in diagrammatic section to show the glandular activities. (Combined from Curtis and 

 Guthrie, and von Frisch.) 



