A Bee Dies After Stinging, a Wasp Does Not
To sting is to wound with a sharp point. The difference between bee and wasp stings is a matter of anatomy.
To sting is to wound with a sharp point, and a sting is the organ or the wound. Honeybee and wasp anatomy differ crucially: a honeybee's sting is barbed, so it lodges in mammal skin and tears free when the bee pulls away, killing it. A wasp's sting is smooth and can be used repeatedly. A police *sting* is an operation using deception to catch offenders, from the 1970s, and *stung* also means overcharged.
- To pierce painfully. *A bee stung him.*
- A stinging organ. *The wasp's sting.*
- A deception operation. *A police sting.*
- To be overcharged. *Stung for £50.*
- Old English — *stingan*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | sting | Sting. |
| Past | stung | Stung. |
| Noun | sting | A sting. |
| Agent | stinger | A stinger. |
| Adjective | stinging | Stinging. |
- A wasp stung her arm.Insect.
- Police ran a sting operation.Law.
- The criticism stung.Figurative.
Why bees die and wasps do not
- The honeybee's sting is barbed, catching in elastic mammal skin
- Pulling away tears out the sting and part of the abdomen
- Against other insects the barbs do not catch, so the bee survives
- Wasps have smooth stings and can sting repeatedly
- Queen honeybees also have smooth stings and can sting more than once
Old English *stingan*, to pierce or stab, of Germanic origin.
Why does a honeybee die after stinging?
Its sting is barbed and catches in elastic skin, so pulling away tears the sting and part of the abdomen from the bee.
Can a bee sting another insect safely?
Yes. The barbs do not catch in an insect's hard exoskeleton, so the bee can withdraw and survive.