What is the role of the queen bee in the colony?

The queen bee plays a crucial role in the colony by primarily focusing on reproduction and maintaining the social structure through the production of pheromones. Her primary function is to lay eggs, ensuring the growth and sustainability of the hive's population. A healthy queen can lay thousands of eggs, which is essential for the survival of the colony, especially as older bees die off and need to be replaced.

In addition to laying eggs, the queen bee produces pheromones, which are chemical messengers that help regulate the behavior of other bees within the hive. These pheromones promote colony cohesion by signaling the health and status of the queen, influencing worker bee behavior such as foraging, nursing, and hive defense. This pheromonal communication is vital for the smooth operation of the hive and the overall well-being of the colony.

In contrast, foraging for food, building honeycombs, caring for larvae, and gathering nectar and pollen are primarily tasks performed by the worker bees, rather than the queen. This division of labor is fundamental to the efficiency and productivity of the hive, allowing each type of bee to focus on specific roles that support the colony's survival and health.