Bee question

[DaveKow]

I just watched "Bees: Tales from the Hive".  It is an awesome video.  Right off the bat they show a wasp attacking the hive.  They say the bees will die stinging the wasp.  I thought that I had read they don't die stinging other insects.
Which is true?

Thanks,
Dave

[Cindi]

Dave, you got a good question going on there.  I always thought that bees did not die from stinging other insects because the barb does not get stuck inside the soft bodies of insects.  It is only the critters like us humans and animals that have flesh that will cause the stinger to get ripped out of the body.  I am wondering if this video was misinformed, or they know something we do not.  You will have some others chime in for sure.  Beautiful day in this great life.  Cindi

[Understudy]

I just watched "Bees: Tales from the Hive".  It is an awesome video.  Right off the bat they show a wasp attacking the hive.  They say the bees will die stinging the wasp.  I thought that I had read they don't die stinging other insects.
Which is true?

Thanks,
Dave

My understanding is bees can sting other insects repeatably. The wasp may have an exoskeleton that holds the barb. However the removal of the stinger from the bee is what causes the alarm pheromone to be released.  Things like worms, larvae , and other bees can be stung repeatably.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Understudy]

From:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/bee2.htm

Several honeybee species have barbed stingers, which stick in the bodies of mammals, pulling out part of the bee's abdomen when she flies away. As a result, the bee dies. Bees with barbed stingers can often sting other insects without harming themselves. Queen honeybees and bees of many other species, including bumblebees and many solitary bees, have smooth stingers and can sting mammals repeatedly.



Sincerely,
Brendhan