What happens if a bee stings you?

A bee sting is a sting from a bee (honey bee, bumblebee, sweat bee, etc.). The stings of most of these species can be quite painful, and are therefore keenly avoided by many people. Bee stings differ from insect bites, and the venom or toxin of stinging insects is quite different. read more

For most people, a bee sting is just a nuisance. You may experience temporary sharp pain, swelling, redness, warmth, and itching at the sting site, but no serious complications. If you’re allergic to bees, or you get stung multiple times, bee stings can be more problematic. read more

Honey bees do, indeed, die after they sting you, but bumble bees and other bees, hornets, and wasps can sting you and live to sting another day. The Purpose of Bee Venom The original purpose of the bee's stinger element (called an ovipositor) in parasitical bees is to lay eggs in largely unwilling invertebrate hosts, and venom secretions are intended to temporarily or permanently paralyze the host. read more

If you’re allergic to bees, or you get stung multiple times, bee stings can be more problematic. They can even be life-threatening. When a honeybee stings you, its stinger is released into your skin. This ultimately kills the honeybee. Honeybees are the only type of bee that die after they sting. Wasps and other species don’t lose their stingers. read more

Therefore, the body's reaction to a bee sting may differ significantly from one species to another. In particular, bee stings are acidic, whereas wasp stings are alkaline, so the body's reaction to a bee sting may be very different than to that of a wasp sting. read more

When a bee stings you, it releases a peptide called melittin into your body. Melittin destroys cells by breaking up their membranes. It also stimulates your body’s pain receptors. read more