wasps or bees?

[curragh]

is it wasps or bees that die once they sting you?

[FP]

Andy is quite correct.

However, I believe that only some bees die, other types live on.  I remember Newforester answering this before.  I wish he would come back, he knew everything about animals and nature.

[Loosehead]

Andy is correct. However it is possible for a bee to survive if the Stingee is charitable enough to let the bee remove the sting after it has pumped in the poison, before angrily brushing it off. I once saw one of these wildlife guys on TV do it. There are probably some species that survive along the same lines of the wasp.

[pjm007]

Sorry to go off on a tangent curragh, but its a shame the same thing doesn't apply to the council tax department.

[Clanad]

I recall the discussion on this subject several months ago (What did happen to New Forester?).  Some specialized bees, such as the alfalfa leaf cutter bee and the bumble bee do not die after stinging.  However, virtually all honey bees, which are the most proliferate, do die because of reasons iterated by andy hughes, et al...

[FP]

Thanks Clanad, I thought the Bumble Bee was mentioned as one that didn't die.  Rather pleased really because I am very fond of bumble bees.

[tartwitahart]

On the internet it says that its bees that die, thier abdonem is ripped out along with the stinger. But if the stinger is still in your skin it can carry on stinging so its best to scratch it out.

[beequiet]

However, I do believe that if you try to crush a sweet bee it will definitely try to sting you.