Well to be fair these are limiting times for the forum. Now I'm not saying that the queen bees have anything to do with it per se, but I do know that every time I've tried asking about what queen bees even are, people suddenly get very quiet and suspicious.
In what sense is that meant? I dont think there is anyone with "seniority" amongst moderators for instance but I get the sense that is not what you are referring to, plus its in the context of gossip so is it that gossip indicates there are "queen bees" or that "queen bees" generate gossip or take advantage of gossip?
I dont believe that gossip is ever a good thing at all, its like the development of cliches which then act to develop in-groups and out-groups, engage in different sorts of social policing, play manipulative games and score points of others reactions/responses.
Some of that I've seen on this forum, some of it I've seen on other forums and in other internet contexts too, its entirely negative but I have seen it occuring offline too and its also negative, often more serious too, and I've also see a sort of back and forth reinforcement of each by each. This is apart from what I would describe as trolling, which is frequently an individual in isolation. This is something else and it possibly more "territorial".