How many days does it take for a queen egg to develop into an adult?

The correct answer is 16 days for a queen egg to develop into an adult bee. The developmental process of a queen bee follows a specific timeline that is critical to understanding the life cycle of bees.

When a queen bee lays an egg, it will hatch into a larva after three days. The larva then enters a feeding phase, where it is fed royal jelly, a nutrient-rich substance produced by worker bees. Following the larval stage, the queen larva undergoes pupation, which takes about 8 days. After this pupal stage, where significant metamorphosis occurs, the queen emerges as an adult bee.

The entire process, from egg to adult queen bee, is approximately 16 days. This is distinct from the development timelines of worker bees and drones, which take longer, typically around 21 days for workers and around 24 days for drones. Understanding this timeline provides insight into queen rearing practices and the dynamics of bee colonies, particularly in scenarios where a colony might need to replace a queen.