Bee sting hurting my head

I have been stung by my six year old child and my head hurts.

Child asks: 'Why has a bee got a stinger?'

Me (adult) answers : 'To protect itself '

Child (who's trap has worked) then ask's : 'But then it will die itself when it uses it. Why does it have a stinger that when it uses it the bee will die'

Me : 'Let me get back to you on that'

I do know that a Bee will most lightly die after stinging as its stinger is attached to its abdomen. They are disembowelled when they try to extract their stinger. They have tiny barbs that prevent a smooth extraction.

Why?

What is the point in arming something with a weapon and it will die when it uses that weapon. The only thing I can think of is that it is simply for protection of the hive and that would make them the original kamikaze pilot
This would mean they must value their society higher than themselves.They put their society first. They have to give their life for their society to survive?

Its kinda like the bee is saying 'you won't take me alive you basterds!' or 'i'm going down but your coming with me'

Its seems like a bizzare evolutionary joke to me.

There must be some philosophical lesson to be learned from this?

I'm off to sleep on it for the night.

The bee is the perfect soldier,protecting the queen by sacrificing its own life,No questions,no regrets just pure devotion.Or they are expecting some virgins in the afterlife.

The stinging bees have a stinger to protect the colony and the queen for which they give their all.

i think it's a sense of pride,..

On a side note I've heard that bumble bees are to heavy to fly and employ some sort of quantum woo-woo to stay aloft, anyone know anything about this?

Originally posted by NewAgeMan
On a side note I've heard that bumble bees are to heavy to fly and employ some sort of quantum woo-woo to stay aloft, anyone know anything about this?

Wing vortices allow them to fly.
Wasps dont lose their stinger and can sting you again.

The Beezone

Originally posted by lonegurkha
The stinging bees have a stinger to protect the colony and the queen for which they give their all.

Why is this though? Who creates something like this?

A bee would not be aware its life will end when it stings otherwise it would not use it.
Its a trick. The bee is having a trick played on it.

I guess to understand this maybe you have to 'become the bee'


buzzzzz?

ive always thought it's to protect future bees, even if it means they have to die to do so, very honorable!...so a bird eats a bee, bird gets stung...bird never eats a bee again, job done

Am I a man dreaming I am a bee
or
Am I a bee dreaming I am a man

Ok again. This guy helped me. Enjoy.

Or, it's just a bug