Only one concentrated study has been conducted on this creature by A.E. Lundie in 1940. Most of the life cycle information comes from his study. Eggs are deposited in irregular masses. The female appears to prefer some crevice or cavity. Comb is not required and often ignored when females lay eggs as they can be found anywhere within the hive.
Incubation period varies from one to six days, with most hatching between two to four days.
The number of eggs a single female can lay has not been determined, however, Lundie has shown that two or three beetles in a pile of supers can cause a heavy infestation. Larvae emerge from the egg shell through a longitudinal slit. Newly-emerged larvae have relatively large heads and numerous protuberances all over their bodies. This may protect them from being smothered in honey. Wax moth larvae have a number of smaller less-developed, uniform prolegs.