[Objectives]  Although the honeybee is known to be a stenothermal insects the effect of low temperature on the hatching of haploid Apis mellifera ligustica eggs remains unclear. [Methods]  Haploid eggs of different ages were subjected to 20℃ for a different number of hours. [Results]  The hatching rate and developmental duration of unfertilized eggs were significantly affected by cold exposure. Unfertilized eggs between 0 and 9 h of age were more cold-sensitive than older eggs, being significantly affected by the minimal duration of 0.5 h cold exposure and with 100% mortality when exposed to cold for more than 4.0 h. In contrast, eggs between 12 and 24 h, and those >36 h old, showed no negative effects after 4.0 h and 12.0 h cold exposure, respectively. A simulation analysis showed that egg hatching duration was highly correlated with the duration of cold exposure, and that the increase in time until hatching was approximately equal to the duration of cold exposure. [Conclusion]  Sensitivity to cold depends on how recently unfertilized eggs had been laid. Newly laid eggs were more susceptible to low temperatures than older eggs. These results will be helpful for further study of how temperature effects honeybee embryo development, and provides a scientific basis for novel beekeeping strategies.