What do you call the female bee responsible for reproduction in a hive?

The female bee responsible for reproduction in a hive is called the Queen Bee. The primary role of the Queen is to lay eggs, ensuring the continuation of the colony. A healthy Queen is vital for maintaining the population of the hive, as she can produce thousands of eggs each day during the peak season. The Queen also produces pheromones that help regulate the behavior of the other bees in the hive, maintaining order and cohesiveness within the colony.

In contrast, worker bees are sterile females that perform various tasks such as foraging for food, caring for the brood, and maintaining the hive. Drone bees are the males of the hive, primarily existing to mate with a Queen; they do not have roles in reproduction or hive maintenance beyond that. Nurse bees, a subset of worker bees, specifically handle the care of larvae and the Queen herself, further differentiating their role from that of the Queen. Thus, the designation of the Queen Bee is specific to her reproductive function, setting her apart from all other bees in the hive.