Many people believe all bees die after stinging, but this is only true for a small fraction. Over 99% of the approximately 21,000 bee species worldwide can sting multiple times. This ability depends on the anatomical design of their stingers.
The Stinger’s Design: Why It Matters
A bee’s ability to sting repeatedly depends on its stinger’s structure, specifically whether it is barbed or smooth. A barbed stinger has backward-pointing hooks or jagged edges. When it penetrates thick skin, the barbs lodge firmly, making it difficult for the bee to pull it out. As the bee attempts to free itself, the stinger, along with internal organs, is torn from its body, leading to the bee’s death.
In contrast, bees with smooth stingers lack these barbs. This design allows them to easily withdraw their stinger after use, enabling them to sting multiple times without fatal injury.
Bees That Can Sting Repeatedly
Many bee species have smooth stingers, allowing them to sting multiple times. Bumblebees are a prime example; their stingers are smooth and do not detach, meaning they can sting repeatedly if provoked. Carpenter bees also have smooth stingers, allowing females to sting multiple times. These bees are generally not aggressive and typically sting only when they feel directly threatened or their nests are disturbed.
Sweat bees, known for being attracted to human perspiration, also have smooth stingers and can sting more than once. Their stings are often described as mild, similar to a pinprick, and they typically only sting if physically threatened. The ability to sting multiple times serves as a defensive mechanism for these bees, protecting them and their nests from perceived threats.
Honey Bees: A Special Case
Honey bees are the primary exception to the rule that bees can sting multiple times, as they possess a uniquely barbed stinger. When a worker honey bee stings a mammal with thick skin, the barbs on its stinger anchor it firmly in place. As the bee tries to pull away, the stinger, venom sac, and a portion of its digestive tract are ripped from its body.
This catastrophic injury results in the honey bee’s death after stinging. This self-sacrificing act is a defense mechanism primarily evolved to protect their communal hive and its queen from larger threats. The detached stinger can even continue to pump venom into the wound for several minutes due to a cluster of nerve cells that coordinate its muscles.