Worker bees are cold-blooded animals and are easily affected by the external environment. Generally speaking, the average lifespan of a worker bee is about 35 days, and its lifespan is closely related to its work intensity.
How many days do worker bees live?
Generally speaking, the lifespan of worker bees is closely related to their work intensity. For example, under conditions of high nectar collection intensity, worker bees have shorter lifespans, generally around 28 days, or even an average lifespan of only 26 days. Under conditions of low nectar collection intensity, worker bees' lifespans can be extended, reaching more than 40 days or even longer.
In fact, the lifespan of worker bees is related to the composition of their hive and the extent to which they engage in work both inside and outside the hive; the lifespan of worker bees varies greatly at different times. Generally, in early spring, the average lifespan of worker bees is 35 days, while in June, the average lifespan decreases to 28 days. The average lifespan determined by research is the lifespan during periods of suitable external temperature, good nectar flow, and when bees participate in hive activities and forage outside the hive as normal.
What are the different stages of a worker bee's life?
1. Insider Bee Stage
Worker bees are newly emerged worker bees that specialize in internal work within the hive. Because their organs are not yet fully developed, they cannot perform complex external tasks such as honey collection. Worker bees typically perform cleaning within 3 days, pollination within 5 days, secrete royal jelly within 12 days, and secrete beeswax to build cells within 18 days.
2. Field Bee Stage
It takes 20 days for worker bees to emerge from the egg stage and 17 days to become foraging bees. Only after going through each developmental stage of the worker bee and making full use of the organ functions at each stage can the worker bee be considered to have truly reached the standard of an adult worker bee and engage in foraging work.
