The Bee Life Cycle and Growing Up Inside the Hive.
- Pete Rizzo
- 7 days ago
- 5 min read
Understanding the Stages of a Honey Bee’s Life: Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult.
Looking at a honeycomb inside a beehive will show you it's a full-blown nursery, schoolhouse, and factory all in one.
The hive is alive with constant motion, and at the heart of it all is an incredible transformation happening every day. In just 21 days, a honey bee goes from a tiny egg to a fully formed adult, ready to work for the good of the colony.
At Vegas Bees, we see this cycle up close during every removal and at every one of our apiaries. Whether we are rescuing bees from a backyard valve box or inspecting a thriving hive in the desert, we are witnessing one of nature’s most precise and awe-inspiring processes: the honey bee life cycle.
Honey Bee Egg Stage: Days 1 to 3
It all begins with the queen bee. She lays her eggs with impressive precision, one per wax cell. If the egg is fertilized, it may become a worker or a queen. If it is unfertilized, it will become a drone.
Worker and drone eggs are laid upright in hexagonal wax cells. Queen eggs, however, are laid into large vertical structures called queen cups, which hang down from the frame.
Due to their orientation, queen eggs do not stand upright like the others.
Within three days, the egg hatches into a larva and the next stage begins.
Honey Bee Larva Stage: Days 4 to 9
Once hatched, the tiny larva is fed by nurse bees around the clock. For the first few days, all larvae are fed royal jelly. After that, drone and worker larvae switch to bee bread, a fermented mix of pollen and nectar.
Queen-destined larvae continue receiving only royal jelly.
The larva grows rapidly, molting several times in just a few short days. By day 9, it is nearly full-grown and ready for the next stage of development.
Honey Bee Pupa Stage: Days 10 to 20
Around day 10, worker bees cap the larva’s cell with a layer of wax.
Inside, the larva spins a cocoon and begins to undergo metamorphosis. Its body changes dramatically. Wings, legs, eyes, antennae, and body hairs begin to form. It is no longer a wriggling grub but is transforming into a fully formed bee.
During this quiet stage, the cell remains capped and protected as the bee develops.
Adult Honey Bee Emergence: Day 21 and Beyond
On or around day 21, a worker bee chews her way out of the wax cap and emerges from her cell.
She starts her life inside the hive, beginning with simple jobs like cleaning cells and feeding younger larvae. As she matures, her tasks evolve. She becomes a guard at the hive entrance, and eventually a forager, leaving the hive to collect pollen, nectar, water, and propolis.
It is a full life of service to the hive, all starting from a tiny egg.
Worker Bees, Drone Bees, and Queen Bees: Understanding Honey Bee Castes
Not all honey bees follow the same timeline. The amount of time it takes to develop from egg to adult depends on what type of bee is being raised:
Queen bees take only 16 days to develop
Worker bees take 21 days
Drone bees take 24 days
These time frames are more than just trivia. They are vital to the survival of the hive.
Queen bees are made from the exact same fertilized eggs that create worker bees. What makes them different is their diet. A queen larva is fed a steady diet of pure royal jelly from the start. This special food triggers the development of queen anatomy, including functioning ovaries and a longer abdomen.
Queen eggs are not laid in regular worker cells. Instead, they are laid into special queen cups that hang vertically. The eggs inside do not stand up straight like those in flat worker cells.
Drone bees, on the other hand, come from unfertilized eggs. They are larger, take longer to develop, and are reared in wider cells with domed wax caps. Their only role is to mate with a virgin queen during her mating flight. They do not forage, guard, or care for the young.
Knowing the differences in bee development times and castes helps us recognize what is happening inside a hive even without opening it.
Why the Honey Bee Life Cycle Matters to the Hive and Beekeepers
The honey bee life cycle is not just fascinating. It is essential to the survival of the colony.
If a hive loses its queen, the bees have only a short window to raise a new one before it is too late. If a swarm leaves, the remaining bees must raise replacements quickly to keep things going. Timing is everything.
For beekeepers like us, knowing how long each stage takes helps us understand the health of a colony. It also helps us identify potential problems before they get out of hand.
Every egg tells a story. Every capped cell holds a promise.
Real Life Bee Rescue and Development in Action
We have seen it all during our removals. We have opened irrigation boxes and found all four stages of the bee life cycle unfolding in perfect harmony. Eggs in newly drawn comb. Larvae being tended by nurse bees. Wax-capped pupae transforming in silence. And fuzzy new bees chewing their way out into the world.
Every removal we do is not just about taking bees out of a place where they do not belong. It is about protecting that cycle and giving the colony a safe and sustainable future.
Our Final Thoughts on Honey Bee Development and Life in the Hive
A honey bee begins her life in just 21 days, starting as a tiny egg. She was fed, protected, and nurtured by her sisters before ever taking her first flight.
At Vegas Bees, we are honored to protect that process. Every rescue, every relocation, every swarm we save helps keep this beautiful cycle in motion.
Want to learn more about how bees grow and what makes the hive thrive? Or are you looking to safely remove bees from your property and give them a new lease on life?
Reach out. We are always happy to talk bees.
Betsy & Pete
🐝Las Vegas’s All-Natural Live Bee Removal Team
About Us: The Authors
We’re Betsy and Pete - Beekeepers on a Mission in Las Vegas
We’re not just in the bee business, we’re in the bee-saving business. Trained by a master beekeeper and backed by hundreds of successful removals, we are dedicated to rescuing and relocating honey bees with care and precision.
Every swarm we save and every hive we manage reflects our deep love for the bees.
At our Joshua Tree Preserve in Arizona, we care for dozens of thriving hives. Some wild, some honey-bearing, and all are part of our commitment to ethical, sustainable beekeeping.
Why Vegas Bees? Because We Never Stop Learning or Caring
Beekeeping is always evolving, and so are we. We stay on the cutting edge by continuing our education, connecting with fellow beekeepers, and refining our beekeeping practices and techniques to ensure the best outcomes for both bees and people.
Whether it’s advanced bee removal strategies or the latest natural methods, we’re always one step ahead.
We’re also proud to support the beekeeping community with high-quality beekeeping supplies for everyone—from curious beginners to seasoned pros. If you’re ready to suit up and start your journey, we’ve got what you need.
