Which caste in a honeybee colony spends the shortest time developing?

In a honeybee colony, the queen bee develops the quickest among the various castes, typically taking about 16 days from egg to mature adult. The rapid development of the queen is crucial for the survival and productivity of the hive, as she is responsible for laying eggs and ensuring the colony's growth.

In contrast, worker bees take about 21 days to develop, while drones, the male bees, require approximately 24 days for their complete development. This longer time frame for worker bees and drones highlights their roles in the colony's dynamics and the queen's necessity to be ready to mate and reproduce as soon as possible. Therefore, the shorter developmental period of the queen relative to these other castes makes her the correct answer in this context.