Bees Have Cocoons Too

Eggs and Cocoons are what bee brood frames are made up of.

This is because the queen bee lays eggs in each and every cell that is inside of the honeycomb. The queen bee even has a way in which she is able to glue these eggs to the bottom of the cell in which she lays them.

When these eggs finally get around to hatching, the worker bees will then go around and add royal jelly to the heads of the young bees who will then use this to wrap themselves up into a type of Cocoon. This royal jelly is something that the worker bees are able to secrete from the glands on their heads. These young bees then feed on this royal jelly for 3 days before they are eventually fed nectar or diluted honey and pollen.

It is at this time that a few female larvae have to be chosen to become queen bees. Those that are chosen are t
hen flooded with royal jelly for 6 days so that they can develop faster and become larger adults since she will need to have ovaries once she is sexually mature.

The young bees have to eat their way through these Cocoons of royal jelly. This is done in a circular pattern until the
y are able to stretch out lengthwise inside of their cell. At this time they then begin to spin a new Cocoon. Their older siblings will then cap this cell as they themselves enter into the pupa stage. At this point they are known as the “capped brood.
” When queen bees enter into this stage, they will stay there for approximately 16 days; worker bees will stay in this stage for 21 days; and drone bees will stay in this stage for approximately 24 days.