There are many other bee species that can sting Humans and survive, but the European honeybee has a barbed stinger, so it cannot remove the stinger once it’s stung. In attempting to remove the stinger the bee will rupture its lower abdomen and then die.

Why? What is the evolutionary advantage to that?

  • PunnyName@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    6 months ago

    It has a harder time with softer flesh. Apparently the barbed stinger can be retracted while dealing with the exoskeletons of various arthropods.