Honeybees are known to sting, but a common belief is that they can only sting once and then they die. Is this true? I’m curious about the actual mechanism involved – what physically happens when a honeybee stings, and why does it supposedly lead to their death? What specific anatomy contributes to this single-sting limitation? Are there any exceptions to this rule, perhaps with different types of bees or under specific circumstances? Ultimately, can honeybees sting more than once, and if so, under what conditions?
Answer
A honeybee can sting only once. When a honeybee stings, the barbed stinger becomes lodged in the victim’s skin. As the bee tries to fly away, the stinger, venom sac, and attached abdominal tissues are torn from its body, leading to the bee’s death. This self-sacrifice is a defensive mechanism for the hive.