Which type of bee is primarily responsible for mating during the artificial insemination process?

The type of bee primarily responsible for mating during the artificial insemination process is the drone bee. Drones are male bees whose primary role is to mate with a queen bee during the reproductive process. In artificial insemination, semen collected from drones is used to fertilize a queen, thus enabling controlled breeding and genetic selection within a hive.

Drones are specifically developed for the purpose of reproduction and do not participate in tasks such as foraging or hive maintenance, which are the roles of worker bees. Worker bees are sterile females that perform a variety of duties essential for the hive's operation but do not mate. The forager bee, another type of worker, collects nectar and pollen and does not engage in mating. Therefore, the drone's unique role in reproduction directly ties it to the process of artificial insemination.