Whether a bee can survive after stinging is a common question, and the answer is not as straightforward as one might think. While many people believe all bees perish after a single sting, this is a misconception. The outcome of a sting depends entirely on the type of stinging insect involved.
The Fate of the Honey Bee After Stinging
Worker honey bees (Apis mellifera) typically die after stinging a mammal or other creature with thick, elastic skin. When a honey bee stings, its barbed stinger becomes lodged in the skin. As the bee attempts to pull away, the stinger, along with the venom sac and portions of its digestive tract, muscles, and nerves, is ripped from its abdomen. This traumatic event, often described as disembowelment, results in a fatal injury to the bee.
The stinger continues to pump venom into the wound even after detaching from the bee’s body. This ongoing venom delivery can last for several minutes because the stinger has its own cluster of nerve cells that control the muscles, causing the barbs to move deeper into the skin. It is important to remove the stinger as quickly as possible to minimize the amount of venom injected.
Why the Honey Bee Dies
The honey bee’s demise after stinging a thick-skinned target is a direct consequence of its unique anatomy. The stinger, a modified ovipositor (egg-laying tube) found only in female bees, is equipped with backward-facing barbs. These barbs act like tiny harpoons, designed to anchor the stinger firmly within the skin.
When the bee tries to escape, these barbs prevent the stinger from being easily withdrawn. The force exerted by the bee pulls the stinger apparatus, which is connected to its internal organs, out of its body. This evisceration leads to a massive abdominal rupture, causing the bee’s death shortly after the sting.
Do Other Stinging Insects Survive?
The common belief that all stinging insects die after stinging is incorrect. Many other stinging insects, including bumblebees, wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets, can sting multiple times without perishing. Their stingers are designed differently from those of honey bees.
These insects possess smooth stingers that lack significant barbs, allowing them to easily withdraw their stingers from a victim’s skin. This anatomical difference means they do not suffer the same fatal injury as honey bees. Consequently, they can use their stingers repeatedly as a defense mechanism. For instance, queen honeybees also have smooth stingers and can sting multiple times.
The Act of Stinging and Its Purpose
Stinging is primarily a defensive action employed by insects to protect themselves or their colony from perceived threats. For the social honey bee, the act of stinging a large animal is a self-sacrificial defense for the greater good of the hive. The individual worker bee dies, but its sacrifice helps protect the queen and the rest of the colony.
When a honey bee stings, it also releases an alarm pheromone from glands near the stinger. This chemical signal, which some describe as smelling like bananas, alerts other bees to the threat and can prompt them to join the defense. Insect venom itself is a complex mixture of bioactive compounds, including proteins, peptides, and enzymes, designed to cause pain, inflammation, or paralysis in the target.