The Bees' Defence Weapon: The Sting

We have seen that the stinger is the weapon used by bees to defend their colony from aggressors. It is, however, nothing more than the result of transformations that have taken place in the ovipositor organ of female bees. It is therefore only present in the female workers and the queen, while the bees are devoid of it. The stinger is not always visible, but is only everted in case of danger and when the bee is about to use it. It is normally found in the so-called sting chamber, a kind of pouch located in the abdomen. Delving more deeply into its morphology, we note that it consists of three distinct parts: a stiletto and two lancets. When the bee attacks, the stinger is not stuck all at once, but it uses its abdominal muscles to insert the different parts that make it up and that, by their conformation, are able to slide over each other.

The presence of the hooks, which make the profile of the sting serrated, is the reason why a bee is destined to die when it stings a human being. Our skin, in fact, has an elastic tissue that does not allow the bee to retract the stinger, which remains embedded in the dermis. The bee, trying to extract it, is forced to pry it out with its legs. This, however, results in the laceration of the last parts of the abdomen. Part of the viscera and the venom glands remain attached to the sting, and the bee perishes within a short time. This, however, does not happen when the bee attacks other insects, which are equipped with an exoskeleton. In this case, extraction of the stinger almost always occurs without difficulty. In contrast to the bee, the wasp does not have these hooks. It is therefore also able to sting repeatedly without getting stuck and dying.

Bee venom is produced by a particular gland, called the acid gland, and then flows into the venom reservoir. Its maximum capacity is 0.3mg, which is the amount of poison a worker accumulates after 2 weeks of life. However, the amount of poison inoculated at the time of the attack never exhausts the amount contained in the tank. The poison is composed of proteins, peptides and other substances. The one present in greatest quantity is melittin, which is a toxic compound, as are other enzymes such as phospholipase A2, apamine and ialuronidase, which accelerates the spread of toxic substances.

The most usual reactions to a bee sting are swelling and reddening of the affected area, burn and itching. In normal people, these effects do not last long and are in any case very limited. In particularly sensitive persons, however, it can provoke more or less severe allergic reactions, up to and including anaphylactic shock. This manifests itself with symptoms of choking, loss of consciousness, abdominal cramps, and diarrhoea, but can worsen to the point of cardiovascular collapse. For allergy sufferers, desensitisation and immunisation therapies are possible.

If you are stung by a bee, it is best to proceed immediately to extract the stinger. In fact, the venom sac is still attached to it and can therefore continue to pour venom into the body. For this reason, great care must be taken during the operation, being careful not to inadvertently inoculate more venom. The immediate application of ice can provide relief, but if symptoms persist, it is advisable to seek medical attention or, in more serious cases, to go directly to a hospital for appropriate treatment.

We have seen the effects that a bee sting can have, but what drives this insect to attack? The reason is mainly the defence of the colony. The areas near the hive, in fact, are those where there is the greatest likelihood of being targeted by these insects. In the hive, guardian bees are in charge of defending the entrance to the hive, but they are not the only ones who are dangerous. Only very young bees, which have not yet developed enough venom, do not show the tendency to sting. The queen, on the other hand, turns her weapon towards the other queens. Defence is certainly the reason that drives bees to attack, but there are various factors that contribute to their aggressiveness. Notoriously, there are bee breeds that are more tame than others, but aggression can be more or less pronounced in different families of the same breed. Factors such as climatic conditions and seasonal patterns also intervene.

Knowing more about the world of bees allows us to understand many things about them. Not everyone, however, has the chance to see with their own eyes the dynamics that drive the social life of these insects, often mistakenly confused with wasps and hornets. However, if you want to support a beekeeper and his bees, you can choose to adopt a hive monitored with 3Bee technology. Beekeepers who use our systems are able to optimise their daily work and can remotely monitor the development and health of their bees. By adopting one of their hives, you will not only be able to receive the type of honey of your choice at home, but you will be able to access the hive data exactly as if you were the beekeeper, follow the growth of the family and the beekeeper's actions in the apiary.