In order to satiate the Hivemind's newfound curiosity with the other local insects and their means of communication, the bugs begin to watch the bees and beetles in a different manner. Previously the drones had mostly paid attention to where the other insects were, where they were going, and how many of them were about; however, now they were looking very closely at other species' strange biology. The goal was to try to find some pattern to the madness that was the other bugs' mannerisms, but it seemed futile. Perhaps more promising was the idea that these other bugs might communicate with some sort of smells or chemicals, so whenever the bees or beetles would leave an area, our own drones would quickly try to sweep it for any pheromone trails or other scents that might have been used for communications. If there were any pheromones, they weren't the same ones that our species evolved to smell and utilize.

It seemed like a rather Sisyphean task, at the end of the day. Though the Hivemind as a whole was undeniably sapient and capable of logic and imagination, far less could be said for the bugs as individuals, especially in the case of the worker drones. Those bugs just acted almost like tools, using almost all of their limited autonomy and brainpower to interpret and fulfill their orders, rather than to think critically on a higher level. The warriors were slightly better off; they had to have some innate understanding of tactics in order to effectively work together and protect the Hive. Still, their intelligence was highly specialized and their minds were mostly concerned with things like searching for interlopers and how to most optimally fight beetles. 

So neither the drones nor the warriors were able to glean much through their continued observations of the other bugs. Even if that obstacle could be overcame, with what resources and abilities the Hive possessed, composing and delivering some sort of message would have likely been difficult even if they discovered the mechanism by which the other species could communicate. But ever persistent, the Hivemind did not give up. In order to solve these issues it generated a plan that was maybe just crazy enough to work, and impulsively began work on it immediately.

Numerous ideas were floating around for how the Hive might best direct the species' evolution, either through enhancing the warriors or through trying to have the workers emulate the spiders' natural silk, but all were pushed aside at least temporarily while the forgettable prince caste underwent some drastic changes. Prior to this point the princes only had been charged with one job, and they had done it admirably; they lived for just a few weeks, and existed only to mate with the queens. All of their spare time was spent idling around and being utterly unproductive, despite them being more numerous and certainly far more expendable than the queens.

That unfulfilled potential was shaped into a new purpose by the evolution of much more sophisticated neural networks inside the princes. They grew to be intelligent, more than any of the drones and even the queens. To accommodate the increase in autonomy and intellect, the princes' bodies grew larger to the point that they could rival or even surpass the warrior drones in size if not sturdiness and ferocity. Their lifespans also became greater than before. They still are fleeting to the point that they individually might struggle to innovate or advance much, but it is no matter. They can work together, and the Hivemind remembers. If one generation dies too soon and leaves something unfinished, the next will be ready to pick right back up where they left off.

Eventually these princes might become even more autonomous, to the point that they could act as extensions of the Hivemind by organizing and directing the drones around them, and perhaps acting as ambassadors or generals. But for now, they are just smart enough to perhaps succeed where all others failed in studying the beetles and bugs. We'll just have to figure out exactly how they should go out and try to get the other bugs' attention.