Life history stages of Apis sp (SEM1/ APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY/SEC-1P)

 

Life stages of Apis sp

Life stages of a Silk moth consists of four different stages: 

• Egg
• Larva
• Pupa
• Adult

Diagram:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zTl9jGrm2h_5urQ8K7FBgXLfSy86Q8yB/view?usp=sharing

Identifying characters: 

Life stages:		Apis dorsata	Apis florea	Apis indica
Egg	Size	Relatively larger than other honey bees.	Very small and delicate.	Intermediate; larger than A. florea, smaller than A. dorsata.
	Shape	Small, elongated, oval, resembling a grain of rice.	Elongated, oval, similar to a tiny grain of rice.	Elongated, oval, rice-grain shaped.
	Colour	White, translucent.	White, semi-translucent.	White, translucent.
	Surface	Smooth, without ornamentation.	Smooth, unornamented.	Smooth
	Placement	Each egg is laid singly inside a wax cell in large, open, single-comb nests located at great heights (tall trees/buildings).	Single, exposed comb on shrubs or small tree branches; eggs are laid singly in compact hexagonal cells.	Eggs are laid singly in hexagonal wax cells of multi-comb nests, usually inside cavities (tree hollows, hive boxes).​
	Incubation	3 days	3 days	Hatching after 3 days.
Larva	Size	Largest larva among the three, reflecting the species' overall body size	Smallest larva among the three species, correlating with the small body size of adults.	Intermediate between A dorsata & A florea
	Colour	White, translucent.	White, translucent	White, translucent
	Shape	Maggot-like, curved in C-shape while lying at the base of the wax cell	Maggot-like, slightly C-shaped, lying at base of hexagonal cell.	Maggot-like, C-shaped in cell, smooth bodied
	Surface	Smooth, no segmentation visible externally	Smooth, unsegmented externally	Smooth.
	Placement	Single in each wax cell of large, open combs; continually fed protein-rich jelly by nurse bees.	Single in compact hexagonal cells of small, exposed combs on shrubs/branches	Single per wax cell, found in multi-comb nests inside cavities
	Growth	Rapid, reaching full adult weight in about 6 days	6 days	6 days
Pupa	Size	Largest among Indian honey bees, as adults are much larger.	Smallest, reflecting overall bee and cell size.	Intermediate in size.
	Cell provided for Development	Develops in large, open combs, with individual cells larger and more robust.	Develops in small, exposed combs; pupal cells are compact and capped tightly.	Develops in multilevel, protected cavity combs, with well-built capped cells.
	Benefit	Capped brood and elevated combs provide protection; exposed environments influence developmental stability.	Exposed nest sites, subject to rapid colony cycles and ecological pressures.	Adapted to domestication, more stable pupal environment.
	Time	12 days	12 days	12 days
Adult	Queen	Dark brown body colour.	Colour of the abdomen Golden brown abdomen.	Colour of the abdomen is shining black.
		Largest queen among the three. Long, swollen,massive abdomen with rounded free end for maximum egg-laying.	Intermediate size, longer than the worker but not as robust as A. dorsata.	Smallest queen. Longer than her workers but overall diminutive.
		Sting apparatus: Present, less barbed (can sting repeatedly), but rarely used	Sting apparatus: Less barbed, rarely used.	Sting apparatus: Less barbed, rarely used.
	Drone	Black body.	Black body	Black body
		Abdomen is blunt of free end.	Abdomen is tapering at free end.	Abdomen is round at free end.
		Very large and stout; bulkier than the queen and worker. Massive compound eyes	Stout, blunt abdomen; significantly larger than the worker	Smallest drone. Eyes cover most of the head, a characteristic shared by all drones, but size is smallest overall.
		Compound eyes: Disproportionately large, meeting on top of the head (ocelli are also large). Adapted for high light sensitivity during crepuscular/nocturnal mating flights.	Compound eyes: Large, meeting on the top of the head, for locating the queen in a drone congregation area.	Compound eyes: Large, meeting on the top of the head.
	Worker	Body is light brown in colour. Length: Largest (17–20)	Colour of abdomen is orange; last part has black & white stripes. Length: Medium (9–11)	Usually yellowish in colour. Length: Smallest (7–10)
		Pollen basket of hind legs has 13 rows of hairs.	Pollen basket of hind leg bears 9 rows of hairs.	Smallest in size, hind leg bears 18 hooks.
		Length of the tongue is about 6.68 mm.	Abdomen is covered with greyish hairs.	Average length of tongue ranges from 4.89-5.53mm
		Abdomen is hairy & round of free end.	Abdomen is pointed at free end.	Abdomen is swollen & highly pointed at free end.
		Sting apparatus: Present, highly barbed, used for mass defense.	Sting apparatus: Present, moderately barbed, effective sting.	Sting apparatus: Present, tiny, often incapable of penetrating human skin easily.