A worker does not keep one job for life. As she gets older, her tasks change in a typical order, a pattern called age polyethism (age-linked division of labour). In a summer colony a worker lives about six weeks, and her life looks roughly like this:
| Roughly from age (days) | Typical job | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Cleaner: scrubs out cells so the queen can lay in them | on the comb |
| 3 to 12 | Nurse: feeds larvae, tends the queen | brood nest |
| 12 to 18 | Builder and storer: makes wax comb, packs pollen, ripens nectar into honey, carries out dead bees | around the nest |
| 18 to 21 | Guard: checks every bee at the entrance | hive entrance |
| 21 onwards | Forager: collects nectar, pollen, water and propolis | outdoors |
The ages are typical values and overlap. Notice that the most dangerous jobs come last: the bee spends the first three weeks of her adult life inside, and only then flies out, where predators, bad weather and long flights wear her out in a matter of weeks.