Identifying honey bees. The worker bees are female; they are responsible for gathering nectar and pollen, cleaning the hive, caring for brood (bee larva), tending to the queen, guarding the hive, and turning nectar into honey. The queen remains in the hive to lay eggs and regulate worker activities with pheromones. The drones mate with a virgin queen on her nuptial flight and die immediately afterwards; drones are only present during spring and summer.