Whether a bee leaves its stinger behind after an encounter depends entirely on the type of bee. Many believe all bees lose their stinger, but this is primarily true for one common species. The design of an insect’s stinging apparatus dictates its ability to sting repeatedly or if it will sacrifice itself in defense.
The Barbed Stinger of Honey Bees
Honey bees possess a unique stinger designed for colony defense, particularly against vertebrate threats. This stinger, a modified ovipositor, features backward-facing barbs along its shaft. When a honey bee stings a mammal, these barbs firmly anchor into the tissue. The stinger is composed of a sharp shaft with two barbed lancets that slide to penetrate the skin.
As the honey bee attempts to pull away, the barbs prevent the stinger from detaching from the skin. Instead, the entire stinging apparatus, including the venom sac, is ripped from its body. Even after detaching, the venom sac, controlled by nerve cells, continues to contract and pump venom into the wound for up to a minute. This mechanism maximizes venom delivery, making the defense highly effective for the colony.
Stings from Other Flying Insects
Unlike honey bees, many other stinging insects, including bumblebees, wasps, and hornets, do not leave their stingers behind. Their stingers are smooth and lack the prominent barbs found on a honey bee’s stinger. This anatomical difference allows these insects to easily withdraw their stinger after an attack.
Because their stingers do not become lodged, bumblebees, wasps, and hornets can sting multiple times. While their venom composition and potency vary, the ability to deliver repeated stings makes them effective. These insects are often mistakenly identified as honey bees, leading to misconceptions about all bee stings.
What Happens After a Bee Sting
For a honey bee, stinging a mammal is a self-sacrificial act. Because its barbed stinger becomes embedded and tears away from its body, the bee suffers a fatal abdominal rupture. The honey bee will die shortly after, as this injury is fatal. This extreme defense mechanism is an evolutionary adaptation to protect the entire hive from larger threats.
If stung by a honey bee, prompt stinger removal is important to limit venom injection. The stinger should be scraped away with a fingernail or a credit card, rather than pinched, to avoid squeezing more venom from the attached sac. Common reactions include immediate sharp, burning pain, redness, swelling, and itching at the sting site, which can last for several hours to a few days. Some individuals may experience a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis, characterized by symptoms such as hives, difficulty breathing, or dizziness, requiring immediate medical attention.