Glucose, when measured in haemolymph, has been found to reflect a useful predictor of energetic investment. This study evaluated the pattern of glucose in the haemolymph, with an attempt to gain a better insight into the role of glucose as nutritional source of ovarian development and energy reserves during reproductive and non‐reproductive moulting cycles. The haemolymph of female giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, was obtained at eight different moulting stages, and levels of glucose were determined using an enzymatic colorimetric glucose‐oxidase method in parallel with a histological examination of ovarian development. Glucose levels were relatively low (0.15 ± 0.02 mg mL−1) at D0 stage, an abrupt increase (0.52 ± 0.13 mg mL−1) during premoult D1 stage and declined (0.32 ± 0.10 and 0.31 ± 0.09 mg mL−1) during premoult D2 and D3 stages, respectively; thereafter, a slight increase (0.43 ± 0.09 mg mL−1) occurred at post‐moult A stage. The progression of ovarian growth, marked by an increasing gonadosomatic index (GSI) pattern during the reproductive moulting cycle (C0–D3 stages), was directly proportionate to fluctuations in glucose levels. GSI was significantly positively correlated with glucose (R = 0.40; P < 0.05). In contrast, glucose was notably higher at post‐moult A and premoult D2 stages during non‐reproductive moulting cycle, the period during which glucose is crucial for exoskeletal chitin synthesis. At this particular stage, a negative correlation between body weight and glucose (R = −0.36; P < 0.05) was observed. The dynamics of glucose in the haemolymph of female M. rosenbergii correlated with ovarian growth, which signify that glucose as nutritional source for vitellogenesis, and affects the body weight of this species.