Stung by a huge Queen bumble bee

Hi All

Tidying up the border and collecting old leaves etc I got stung in the thumb by a huge Queen bumble bee , my fault ...

 

I didn't know they stung, I presume you have killed her now
I've grabbed a few that get stuck in the greenhouse this time of year, but never been stung.

 

No I would never kill them ... oh yes they do sting I have been stung before when I disturbed a nest by the river , try picking one up Pete and let us know if you dont belive me

 

@Spruce I thought bees died after stinging unlike wasps?

 

Hi Sheal,

If it was a honey bee I would say yes it will die sooner than expected as a honey bee has barbs on the sting so it stays in the skin after the honeybee pulls away and leaves the sting & venom sack still atached which carries on pumping away to push the venom in through the sting .

I know wasps dont have barbs so they can sting multiple times , I dont know if bumble bees have barbs or not but the sting never came away ... so it lives another day .... cor it was painful and the amount of blood ...

Spruce

 

Stung by bumbles? Yes I have...usually when they are on the soil. Wasps and honey bees too. Allo part and parcel of gardening. Prob the most painful bite was by a slug ..who would have thunk it??

 

Really?! I didn't know they could bite.

 

Wot?? You joking Redwing? Not just the surprisingly deep bite but the toxicity of it too. Me? I’m more nervous of adders!

 

I think that slugs and snails just rasp with their radula and can't bite.
Been bitten by the occasional spider and also a centipede between the fingers which did hurt as well as being a surprise.