Final answer:
A nuptial flight is when winged male and female reproductives leave their colony to form new colonies. Honey bee reproductive strategies involve a single egg-laying queen, mating drones, and sterile workers who maintain the colony, ensuring the survival and propagation of their species.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nuptial flight is a group of winged male and female reproductives (swarmers, alates) that leaves the colony in an attempt to pair and initiate new colonies.
The reproductive strategy of honey bees greatly benefits the survival of the species. In a honey bee colony, the single queen produces eggs while the males, called drones, are responsible for mating with the queen. The worker bees, although sterile, play a critical role in the maintenance and functioning of the colony. Worker bees take on various tasks such as cleaning the hive, feeding the young, building the honeycomb, guarding the hive, and foraging for food. This division of labor ensures the colony's survival, with each group of bees contributing to the thriving of the community. The workers' supportive roles enable the queen and drones to focus on reproduction, hence securing the future generations of the bee colony.