I love Hive races and insects in general. Doctors in Space? Have you read the Sector General books? http://www.infoshop.org/sf/index.php/Sector_General

And here's some sketches I did; I was planning to just draw you up something vaguely mantis-like but somehow my two insectiod species snuck into there; the Chye, who aren't Hive mind, and the Evdi, who are a good deal like the Hive you just described (and are they ever gossipy!)