Which bee caste is primarily responsible for reproduction?

The queen bee is the primary reproductive member of a honeybee colony. Her main role is to lay eggs; she can produce thousands of eggs each day during the peak season, ensuring the growth and sustainability of the colony. The queen is the sole fertile female in the hive, which sets her apart from the worker bees, who are sterile females responsible for various tasks such as foraging, nursing, and hive maintenance. Drones, on the other hand, are male bees whose primary purpose is to mate with a queen during nuptial flights; however, they do not lay eggs and play no role in colony maintenance. Foragers are a subset of worker bees focused on gathering food and resources, further highlighting that none of these other castes engage in reproduction like the queen does. Thus, the role of the queen as the primary reproductive individual in the hive is crucial for colony population and viability.