Comment by gnabgib
9 days ago
They certainly do: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_sting
> A bee sting is the wound and pain caused by the stinger of a female bee puncturing skin. Bee stings differ from insect bites, with the venom of stinging insects having considerable chemical variation. (..) Bumblebee venom appears to be chemically and antigenically related to honeybee venom.
Wasps both sting and bite (welt size is a good indicator)
Huh. I also have grown up thinking bumblebees don’t sting, but:
> Female bumblebees can sting repeatedly, but generally ignore humans and other animals. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee
So they can sting, they just don’t want to. Further proof, if any were needed, that bumblebees are Best Bees. :)
IME, the nonviolence of their behavior matches their cute looks. They do not sting if you don't go out of your way to mess with them.
As a child, I caught a bumblebee in my hand because I didn't think it could sting. Those stings hurt.