As she followed, the vibrations in the comb floor became more insistent, stronger and stronger, as if it were a living thing beneath her, energy running in all directions. With a buzzing sensation through all her six feet, a torrent of information rushed up into her body and her brain. Overwhelmed, Flora stopped in the middle of a large lobby. Under her feet spread a vast mosaic of hexagonal floor tiles, the patterns scrolling across the lobby and down the corridors. Endless streams of bees crisscrossed all around them, and the air was thick with scent broadcasting.”
-- Flora (chapter 2 paragraph 1)

Importance: This quote describes how the hive communicates with the bees. Much of the themes of this novel hinge on controlling, and this is an early indication of how scent pushes the bees.

We deliver one outcome here: identical care for identical brood. There is no improvising, no requesting a transfer, and, until you...
-- Nurse Teasel (chapter 4 paragraph 3)