Which bee is collected to gather sperm for artificial insemination?

The drone bee is the correct choice for gathering sperm for artificial insemination. Drones are the male bees of the hive, and they are specifically developed for reproduction. Their primary role is to mate with a queen during her nuptial flight, which is when she takes to the air to mate with multiple drones before returning to establish a hive.

Drones produce sperm in their testes, and this sperm can be collected for the purpose of artificial insemination. This method is utilized by beekeepers to selectively breed queens, allowing for the enhancement of desirable traits such as productivity, temperament, and resistance to disease.

In contrast, worker bees are sterile females and do not produce sperm. They are primarily responsible for foraging, nursing larvae, and maintaining the hive. The queen bee is the reproductive female of the colony but is not collected for sperm; instead, she is the recipient of the sperm during mating. Scout bees are worker bees that search for new foraging locations or potential sites for new hives, but they also do not have any reproductive roles. Thus, when it comes to sperm collection for artificial insemination, the drone bee is the only correct answer.