The structure and postembryonic development of the dorsal ocellus of Apis cerana Fabricius was studied byanatomical observation and BrdU immunohistochemistry． The results show that each ocellus consisted of cornea，corneagenous layer，retinular cells and ocellar nerve． The 3 ocelli of the adult honeybee were of epidermal origin． Thedevelopment of the ocellus was most active during P1 － P3． New cells were the products of mitotic divisions occurring inthe epidermal cells and ocellar capsule margins． In the P1 retinula，axons were found making contact with interneuronsfrom both the ocellar nerve and the brain． The cornea appeared after the P5 stage． Ocellar structure and development is   closely related to function．