Honeybee A western honeybee (Apis mellifera) forages in a cucumber flower. Although she is a sterile worker, her ovipositor (egg laying organ) doubles as a stinger. (more) Do Bees Die After Stinging? Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/Do-Bees-Die-After-Stinging Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Melissa Petruzzello Melissa Petruzzello is Assistant Managing Editor and covers a range of content including plants, algae, and fungi; insects and spiders; and renewable energy and environmental engineering. She also handles... Melissa Petruzzello Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Mar 13, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot The answer: it depends on the bee. There are more than 20,000 species of bees, with quite a bit of diversity when it comes to stinging. The most familiar bee is the western honeybee, the females of which do indeed die after stinging. Stingers are modified ovipositors (egg-laying organs), meaning male bees cannot sting. The stinger of a honeybee is barbed, which means once it pierces human skin, it gets stuck. As the bee tries to fly away, the stinger is ripped from its body, along with part of its abdomen, digestive tract, muscles, and nerves. This catastrophic injury is ...(100 of 195 words)

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