Incubation Period and Post-emergence Pigmentation in the Sumatran Stingless Bee Trigona (Heterotrigona) itama (Apidae, Meliponinae)

Incubation period of Trigona (Heterotrigona) itama workers is 46.5 days (4.2 in eggs, 10.4 in larva and 31.9 in pupa), being twice of that in the European honeybee Apis mellifera, longer than in a Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadri-fasciata and in another Sumatran stingless bee Trigona (Tetragonula) minangkabau, while similar to that in a Neotropical stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica and a Sumatran stingless bee Trigona (Sundatrigona) moorei. Post emergence pigmentation of adult workers is divided in 7 stages, each with duration (in days) of 0.25 (Ia), 0.25 (Ib), 1.6 (IIa), 4.9 (IIb), 5.2 (IIIa), 4.6 (IIIb). The final stage IV starts 16.8 days after emergence. Mean duration of preforaging period after oviposition attains 66 days, being 1.7 times longer than 30 days in the honeybee.