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Can Bumblebees Sting?


Can Bumblebees Sting?
Photo Information
Copyright: Janice Dunn (Janice) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3265 W: 267 N: 7730] (32970)
Genre: People
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-12-21
Categories: Nature
Camera: Canon EOS 30D, Canon EF 17-40mm f.4 L USM
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-07-08 4:24
Viewed: 445
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Can Bumblebees sting?

Yes, Bumblebees can sting, at least the queens and workers can, and their sting is not barbed like that of the honeybee, so they can sting more than once.

Male bumblebees cannot sting as they do not have a sting. In males the part of the body that becomes the sting in females becomes the genital capsule in males, so is used in mating.

The reason a honey bee dies after she has stung a human is that the barbs in her sting and our relatively elastic skin prevent her pulling the sting out. Eventually she will either be swatted to death by whomever she has stung, or she will pull so much that the sting, poison sac and part of her abdominal contents will be pulled out, causing her to die.

I have been stung by bees and wasps, but have never been stung by a bumblebee. But I have heard that a bumblebee sting is less painful than a wasp sting, some say it is also less painful than a honey bee sting, others that it is more painful. So I guess it is to do with the individual and the pain tolerance they have – maybe!!

Bumblebees seem reluctant to sting, and appear to do so only if they are mishandled or their nest is threatened. Some species of bumblebees found in America (north and south) are more aggressive than European species.

So always treat bumblebees with respect as there are some people who have an allergy to bee venom that can lead to death even after just a single sting if not treated promptly.

http://www.bumblebee.org/

So, have you been stung by a Bumblebee? How painful was it?
Refugee, Dawn, Silke, cleocat, chocolate29, scottevers7, CallMeMaria has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Silke: Get better quickly!!Janice 1 07-08 16:59
To Janone: No Noise!Janice 1 07-08 16:48
To ruudblok: LensJanice 1 07-08 16:45
To Marioana: PainfulJanice 1 07-08 04:59
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Critiques [Translate]

Nice Photo Janice, that's either one massive Bumble Bee or a small flower :-)

Hi Janice.
Absolutely! I copped one right between the eyes a few weeks a go. Not happy! He he :) Very beautifully captured. Lovely composition and colour. Very lovely, well done.
Regards, Steve.

Hi Janice, my bumblebees never hang around long enough for me to find out...they seem very timid. Lovely focus and beautiful colours. TFS,
David

Many thanks for your thoughts on ‘Experimenting with Diffuser’

  • Great 
  • Dawn Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1139 W: 100 N: 3357] (17508)
  • [2007-07-08 7:15]

Never been stung by a bumble bee Janice.. maybe they dont sting too much these days.. because maybe they have learnt that they will pull half their "guts" out...in doing so..eeekkkk..I always learn something from you Janice..

Nice sharp image Janice, good light and lovely colours.. well done.

Good notes...thanks

Cheers
Dawn

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2847 W: 263 N: 5947] (23588)
  • [2007-07-08 8:46]
  • [+]

Perfect colours, outstanding details!
I love the tight Pov, but no, I would not trust a bumblebee NOT to sting me!
TFS
silke
(P.S. I may not be able to post or comment as much for a while -- my apologies while my body works to get past this!)

Nice capture. We have all been stung by bees but I don't know if it was honeybees of Bumblebees. Rian is a bit allergic to bee stings. It goes all red and swollen. We have very forward bees so if David say Bumblebees are timid I don't think they are bumblebees. In any case great photo with wonderful clarity of the bee on this pretty flower. Don't let it sting you. It is sore no matter what kind of bee.

Hello my friend

Beautiful capture here lovely colours and great notes too.

TFS regards helen

Hi janice,
Sharp clear
three makes good compostion
But why using this lens?
Ruud

Hello Janice.
Perfect composed picture with nice colour contrast.
The background is a bit 'Blurred'(changed), but it suits the picture well.
Jan
ps sorry for that, Janice, but whats in a word, haha.
Kia ora.
Jan

Hi Janice, great photo, nice colors details and contrast, congratullations. TFS

rintikle

Hi Janice - Lovely strong summer colours and good diagonale traced by the blossoms, the whole being accentuated by fine details. I also find the dark green BG unusual and very appealing. Thank you for sharing! - Cheers, Cordelia :) :)
PS: Thank you for your feedback on 'my' red rose. - PPS: No, haven't been stung by a bumble bee, only photographed them too.

  •      
  • anjhello Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1009 W: 54 N: 291] (4660)
  • [2007-07-10 19:52]

Anjhello Scoring System:
DOF - 3 POV - 3 CREATIVITY - 3 COMPOSITION - 3
LIGHTING - 3 SHARPNESS - 3 COLORS - 3

Average: 3.00

Range:
1 point: Average < 1.99
2 points: Average > 2.00

Scoring System:
1 Good 2 Better 3 Best

tfs!

Sweet , colorful and very sharp image Janice!

Lovely square format for this one.

I have been lucky over the years, on my side, a couple of times only by wasps, never by a bee or bumblebee. As a matter of fact I destroyed two nests a couple of weeks ago being built on our garden little house ( wasps nests ). I had no choice to take them away. You will see soon with a next upload ( in a couple of weeks ! )
Keep on the good work !
Robert

Hi Janice,
You know the nature photographer in me is drawn to nice shots like this. Some nice light and rich vibrant colors in this scene. Nice sharp detail. The good thing is Bumble Bees are pretty passive unless you really mess with them. Nice camera work here.
Scott

Hi Janice,
One of the things that I love about these bees are their white "underwear" :)
They're so big and beautiful...look at those "broad shoulders"! The flowers are also very lovely. Very nice colors, perfect sharpness.
TFS
Regards,
Lurdes

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