It is a common belief that all bees die after stinging, a notion widely popularized by the familiar honey bee. However, this is a misconception; the truth about bee stinging capabilities is more nuanced. While some bees do indeed perish after delivering a sting, many others possess the ability to sting repeatedly without consequence. This difference largely depends on the specific species of bee and the design of its stinger.
The Single-Sting Mystery
The worker honey bee is the primary reason for the common belief that bees die after stinging. This occurs because its stinger is equipped with barbs, similar to a harpoon. When a honey bee stings a mammal, these barbs become firmly lodged in the skin. As the bee attempts to pull away, the barbed stinger, along with parts of its abdomen, is torn from its body. This self-evisceration results in a fatal injury and death for the bee, serving as a defensive mechanism to protect the hive.
Bees That Can Sting Multiple Times
Many other bee species, unlike the worker honey bee, are capable of stinging multiple times without dying. This ability stems from their stingers having smoother or smaller barbs, allowing them to easily withdraw the stinger from a victim’s skin. Bumblebees are a prominent example; their stingers lack the pronounced barbs found on honey bee stingers, enabling them to sting repeatedly. They generally sting only when provoked or when their nest is disturbed.
Solitary bees, such as carpenter bees, sweat bees, and mason bees, also possess smooth stingers. Female carpenter bees can sting multiple times, though they are typically not aggressive and sting only if directly threatened. Sweat bees are generally docile and can sting repeatedly if endangered, though their sting is often quite mild. Queen honey bees are an exception to the single-sting rule, as their smaller barbs allow them to sting multiple times, primarily in conflicts with rival queens. Africanized honey bees, while their individual stinger is still barbed and fatal to the bee, are notable for their heightened defensive behavior and are more likely to sting in large numbers with minimal provocation.
Clarifying Bees and Wasps
A frequent source of confusion regarding stinging insects lies in distinguishing between bees and wasps, which have different stinging capabilities. Wasps, including yellow jackets and hornets, are well-known for their ability to sting repeatedly without dying. This is because their stingers are smooth and lack the barbs present on a honey bee’s stinger, allowing them to easily withdraw it after injecting venom.
Visually, bees and wasps also differ. Bees generally have rounder, more robust, and hairy bodies, which helps them collect pollen. Wasps, in contrast, typically have sleeker, more slender bodies with narrower waists and appear smoother and shinier, with less hair. Understanding these distinctions is helpful in identifying which type of insect is responsible for a sting and its potential for repeated attacks.