The life cycle of bumblebees – Part 2
by Chris, 24 April, 2015, 1 comments
The first bees to emerge from the eggs are all females. When they emerge they are ‘white’ and their wings are crumpled. Soon, blood or haemolymph is pumped into the veins of the wings – and the wings expand and then harden. It takes longer (1 / 2 days) for the body colours to develop.
Before long, some of these young females or workers will venture of of the nest to look for food. They will also take on responsibility for the next batch of grubs, which the queen will have laid whilst the first generation of workers were pupating. The queen now no longer gathers her own food, but is fed by her worker offspring. Read more...
