They didn't know humans were so intelligent, they thought they were lesser, like drones, that if there were queens among them they were hidden. They're sorry for the invasions first and second, for the destroyed infrastructure and - they're unclear on the concept; their idea is closest to "bodies" - in China, for seeking to tame the humans' queens the way cousin hive queens once tamed each other -

Please don't tame us, we're sorry, we will be your (the concept is like "little sisters"; the hive queens now are all equal-sisters, but once there was more of a hierarchy, and a dominant queen could have a friendly if controlling relationship with a subordinate one, if she chose not to tame her defeated foe) you win you win you win don't tame us don't kill us