What role does the queen bee primarily serve in the hive?

The primary role of the queen bee in the hive is to lay eggs to ensure the colony's growth and reproductive success. The queen is the sole fertile female in the hive, and her ability to reproduce is crucial for maintaining the population of the bee colony. She can lay thousands of eggs each day during peak season, which helps sustain the hive's workforce of worker bees needed for foraging, nursing, and hive maintenance.

While the queen does produce pheromones that help in communication and maintaining the social structure of the colony, her main function is centered around reproduction. The foraging for nectar and pollen is primarily the responsibility of the worker bees, who gather resources to feed the colony and ensure its survival. The idea of providing food is also associated with worker bees, as they take on the roles of nursing the larvae and feeding the queen. Therefore, the emphasis on the queen's role as egg-layer is what solidifies the importance of her presence in the hive for the colony's continuity and growth.