Australian team finds bee stingers still inject venom once detached
Slow-motion footage shows a bee stinger keeps delivering venom into its target once cut loose from the bee, with valves working as pistons.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
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What happened
Australian scientists used high-speed video to study honey bee stingers. The footage shows a stinger keeps pumping venom into its target after detaching from the bee. Researchers describe the stinger as a double-piston pump whose valves function as collapsible pistons.
Why it matters
The findings uncover the mechanism that lets the stinger keep delivering venom after detachment.
Timeline
- Oct 12, 3:00 PM ET: Australian scientists release high-speed video showing the stinger pumping venom after it separates from the bee.
- Oct 13, 9:03 AM ET: A co-author says the unique geometry of the valves is the key to delivering venom.
Coverage
- Honey bee stingers are double-piston venom pumps (arstechnica.com)
- High-speed video reveals how honey bee stingers keep pumping venom after detachment (phys.org)
- Bee stingers work like saws to pump venom (popsci.com)
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