Do Bumblebees Lose Their Stingers?
Bumblebees are robust, fuzzy insects that play an important ecological role as pollinators. There are over 250 species worldwide. Like their relative the honeybee, bumblebees will sting perceived threats in order to defend their nest. However, a unique feature of honeybees is that their barbed stingers become lodged in skin and detach from the body when stinging mammals. This causes the honeybee to die shortly after stinging. This raises the question – do bumblebees also lose or sacrifice their stingers in the same way when they sting? Or can they sting repetitively without injury?
This article explores the stinger anatomy of bumblebees and what happens when they sting, including:
- Structure and function of the bumblebee stinger and venom sac
- Differences compared to the honeybee stinger
- Effects of stinging on bumblebees
- Ability to sting multiple times
- Factors impacting the stinger remaining in skin
- Methods for removing left-behind bumblebee stingers
- Prevention of bumblebee stings through safe behavior
Understanding the mechanics of stinging helps appreciate key differences in this defensive behavior between major bee types. While perilous for honeybees, stinging remains a less dire prospect for the bumblebee.
Anatomy of the Bumblebee Stinger
The bumblebee stinger consists of three main parts:
- Lancets – Three narrow needle-like shafts that slide in and out to pierce the skin when stinging. They carry venom.
- Sheath – A thicker triangular base that envelops and guides the movement of the lancets.
- Venom sac – Connected to the stinger, this sac contains the venom injected through the lancets.
Surrounded by the sheath, the three lancets can rapidly stab in and out, penetrating tissue and injecting paralyzing venom.
Difference from the Barbed Honeybee Stinger
In contrast, the honeybee stinger has key specializations:
- Barbs – Small backward-facing hooks or ridges on the stinger shaft that catch in skin and lodge the stinger.
- Muscle connection – The honeybee stinger remains attached to an elastic muscle filament after stinging, which tears loose from the body causing injury.
Bumblebee stingers lack these adaptations and simply consist of the three smooth lancets and surrounding sheath without barbs or muscular tethering.
Does Stinging Harm Bumblebees?
When a bumblebee stings:
- The lancets quickly plunge in and out without getting trapped by barbs. This allows for rapid repeating stings.
- No muscles anchor the stinger, so it freely detaches from the body immediately.
- Lost stingers rapidly regenerate within a few days allowing future stinging capabilities.
- In the meantime, the bee remains capable of further stings due to the smooth detachment.
As a result, stinging represents only minor injury to a bumblebee rather than certain death as with honeybees.
Ability to Sting Repeatedly
Lacking a barbed stinger, bumblebees can sting over and over:
- Each sting is delivered by briefly extending and retracting the lancets rather than lodging the stinger shaft.
- With no anchor tethering the stinger inside flesh, it immediately pulls free.
- Lost stingers quickly regenerate from the sheath base. Within days the bee can sting again.
- Bumblebees aggressively defend nests by repeatedly stinging threats without harming themselves.
- Some large queen bumblebees may have hundreds of stings available over a lifetime.
The expendable stinger offers bumblebees flexible offensive and defensive capacity.
When Stingers Get Left Behind
While designed for easy removal, bumblebee stingers occasionally get caught in skin:
- Very rapid pinning stinging motions may fail to retract fast enough before separation.
- Thick hair and clothing fibers may snag the stinger base if the bee tries to yank it free.
- The stinger can be grabbed and torn loose if the victim pinches it.
- Deep stinging into tough leathery skin may impede smooth retraction.
But such lodging remains rare for bumblebees and accidental compared to deliberate anchoring by barbed honeybee stingers.
Removing Detached Stingers
To remove a lodged bumblebee stinger:
- Use tweezers to slowly pull the stinger straight out rather than grasping and tearing it. Avoid crushing the venom sac.
- Carefully pluck any attached hairs to extract cleanly. They may be caught in the sheath.
- Wash the area to prevent infection and apply ice to relieve swelling.
- A topical paste of water and meat tenderizer containing papain enzyme can help break down remaining venom.
- An antihistamine takes orally can counteract allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
While bumblebees seldom lose stingers, prompt first aid mitigates injury if it occurs. Seek medical attention for severe reactions.
Preventing Stings Through Safe Behavior
Some tips for avoiding stings from bumblebees:
- Remain calm and still if a bee approaches rather than swatting at it, which will prompt stinging. Move carefully away.
- Avoid known bumblebee nesting areas like bushes, old mouse burrows, open soil banks, and compost piles.
- Wear light colored clothing, avoiding dark colors and floral prints that may appear threatening.
- Cover sweet drinks and avoid bananas, perfumes, or hairsprays that have fragrance bees may investigate.
- Check seating areas before sitting and avoid putting pressure on unseen underground nests.
- Leave bumblebees alone unless they actively threaten or sting. Their docile nature typically causes them to simply fly away.
With care and common sense, conflicts can be avoided, so both people and bees remain unharmed.
Conclusion
Unlike honeybees, bumblebees do not lose their stingers or suffer injury when stinging thanks to the smooth stinger design lacking barbs. At most a lodged stinger presents temporary inconvenience while a replacement regenerates over several days. So while bumblebee stings remain painful, they can be deployed repeatedly with little cost to the bee. This reusable weapon likely evolved to enhance defense of their small vulnerable nests compared to the relative safety of large honeybee hives. Understanding the biology demystifies and promotes safe respect for bees.
