The Life of the Individual 
103 
is slightly modified by changes in temperature of the hive, 
it is, in the main, quite uniform and it is therefore possible 
to' give the time from egg-laying to emergence of the adult. 
It must be understood that these vary somewhat and it is 
rather remarkable that the variation is not more pronounced. 
On account of the variation the various tables given for the 
length of stages are not uniform. The following table (II) 
is a fair average: 
Table II. Developmental Stages 
Stage 
Queen 
Worker 
Drone 
Egg. 
3 
3 
3 
Larva .... 
51 
6 
61 
Pupa. 
12 
141 
Total .... 
16 
21 
24 
The figures given in this table for the pupal stage include 
all the time that the developing bee is sealed up in the cell. 
During part of this time, the larval stage is continued but 
no additional food is taken. This is followed by a semi¬ 
pupa stage, when the insect resembles a larva but has under¬ 
gone a moult and the hind- and mid-intestine are connected. 
The true pupa stage follows this and the transition to the 
adult is gradual, the separation between the two stages being 
marked by the emergence of the insect from the cell. The 
number of moults in the larval stage are sometimes given 
as probably six (Cheshire). This should be more carefully 
studied. 
The structure of the adult bee will be briefly discussed 
in conjunction with the functions of the various organs. 
When the young bee emerges from the cell it is structurally 
in the adult condition. It does not grow in size nor do any 
marked changes in most of the organs occur during adult 
life. This is true of all insects. While certain internal 
