foundress

noun3

1. •
   A female animal which establishes a colony.

   • When two [European paper wasp] foundresses meet at the nest site after hibernation, the foundress with the higher corpus allatum activity usually becomes dominant. — 1991
2. •
   (old-fashioned) A female founder (“one who founds or establishes”).

   • But whether he departed without the French kings consent or disassent, he deceiued in his expectacion, and in maner in dispaire, retourned againe to the Lady Margaret his first foolish foundresse. — 1569
3. •
   (no longer used, rare) A female founder (“one who founds or casts metals”).

   • The great bell of my heart is crack'd, and never / Can ring in tune againe, till't be nevv cast / By one only skilfull Foundresse. — 1635