Laying worker bee

The term laying worker bee is used in beekeeping. A laying worker bee is a worker bee that lays unfertilized eggs usually in the absence of a queen bee. Only drones develop from the eggs of laying worker bees and a beehive cannot survive with only a laying worker bee.

It is difficult to introduce a new queen bee to a hive with a laying worker as the new queen may not be accepted by the hive.