Here is a photograph I took on June 26, 2011:
For all 10 points, be the first person correctly tell me the date when these animals became adults.
The cumulative points winner for the month of December will win their choice of 1) any 8×10-sized print from my insect photography galleries, or 2) a guest post here on Myrmecos.
Good luck!
14 comments on Monday Night Mystery: Growing Up
July 5
July 5 is when they would emerge as adults. When they become adults would be more likely the 4th, 2011
I’m going to go with July 12th, 2011. Because the cell still isn’t capped, and the larva isn’t at it’s biggest, so at least 10 days left, but probably more like 15 or 16 days left before emergence.
My guess is that they’re third larval instar (day 6 or 7 after hatching), they have about one week left till pupation, they have about 15 (+/-1) days left to go to emerge.
I’m going with July 10th, 2011.
I’d say they will be capped the next day. A worker bee will remain capped for 12 days, so they should emerge on the 10th.
Now wait, What if their Africanized honey bees? Wouldn’t it be a day sooner?
they’re!!!
(Unbelievable I did that!!!)
It actually doesn’t look like honeybee comb to me. Nor that of a bumblebee.
July 8th
Great shot, Alex!
According to Eric Mussen, Extension apiculturist at UC Davis:
“The edges on the cells look too ragged. He may have uncapped already capped brood. Anyway, they aren’t prepupae, yet. If they are fully-fed worker larvae, they should emerge 12 days after they are capped. If they are drones (the one capped cell is not a drone cell), they would emerge 14.5 days after being capped. Unless they are Africanized honey bees, then things happen a day earlier.”
The cap looks like a drone one.
I shell guess July 28th.
2011 of course.
Pingback: Answer to the Monday Mystery – MYRMECOS - Insect Photography - Insect Pictures