Do All Bees Die After They Sting You, And If So, Why?







I am sometimes asked "do bees die if they sting you?".



Indeed, for a long time, I believed that yes, this was the case. However, I now know that it actually depends on the species!



Firstly, it should be noted that not all bees sting. For a start, males across species, cannot sting. However, of those which can, notably it is only the honey bee that is likely to die after stinging a human, and because of this, it is often assumed that all other bee species will die following a stinging incident too.

Why Do Honey Bees Die After They Have Stung You?

The reason honey bees die after they have stung a human is because the honey bee possesses a barbed stinger (it’s actually a modified ovipositor).

Whilst honey bees could sting other insect species and survive (for example, during the defense of their nest and honey combs), the barbed stinger cannot cope with fleshy human skin.

If the honey bee stings a human, the sting itself will get lodged in the skin. As the bee attempts to pull itself away, this will unfortunately tear away its abdomen, leaving the stinger behind and lodged in the skin.

Anyone who is stung will then need to take action to remove the stinger, as it will otherwise continue to pump poison (venom) – see advice here.

Do Solitary Bees And Bumblebees Die When They Sting You?

Solitary bees rarely ever sting, and bumblebees generally are rather docile. However, I always recommend caution and respect around bumblebees.

In addition, I hear of many well intentioned efforts to 'rescue' bumblebees actually resulting in a stinging incident because of well-intentioned mis-handling. There are times when your intervention can help a bumblebee in difficulty, and there are times when it is best to leave them alone. See this page for further detail - and this page about rescuing bees trapped in spider webs.



In bumblebees, the stinger is smooth. This means that if you are stung by a bumblebee, the stinger will not become stuck in your skin, and so the bee will not die.

However, whichever the species, stings can be more dangerous if they accur around the throat, eyes, nasal passages or inside the ear - espcially in children.

Some people have very severe (and rarely, very serious) allergies to bee stings (and wasp stings). Where there is a risk of very serious reaction (such as anaphylactic shock), an Epi-pen should be carried.





Do Bees Bite?



Some bee species are known to use their mandibles in a biting action, for example, whilst they are constructing their nests (widening nest entrances, biting materials).

However, bees do not bite humans. If you are concerned about stings, it is far better to use products which repel, rather than kill insects.



You could also try a deet- free insect repellent spray.



Please note: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases for links to Amazon products.



Repel - is available from Amazon US or

Incognito - is available from Amazon UK.

Did You Know? More people are killed by lightning than bee stings!



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Did You Know?

Not all bees can sting! Many bees (probably most) are fairly docile and harmless!

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For further information:

Tips to prevent bee stings.

Tips to prevent wasp stings.

Treating bee stings.

Apiphobia (fear of bees)

Bee sting facts.

How To Kill Wasps



Don’t! It is far better not to kill wasps because you will only attract more of them.

Read about preventing wasp stings



If you kill wasps you may only attract more! Find out how to deter wasps here.



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