From the moment a worker emerges from her cell, her work in the colony begins. For the first three weeks of her life she stays mainly within the hive, cleaning cells, nursing the brood and feeding them. Her wax glands will start to secrete wax which she moulds into new cells or repairs damaged parts of the comb. Towards the end of her stay she will take on foraging and guard duties. Left: A well laid-up frame of mostly capped over worker brood. Notice a few domed drone cells around the outer edges of the comb.