Which bee is known for dying shortly after it stings?

The honey bee is notable for its unique defense mechanism that leads to its death after stinging. When a honey bee stings a mammal, it injects venom through its barbed stinger. This barbed design allows the stinger to anchor in the skin of the victim. As the honey bee attempts to fly away, the stinger and a part of its abdomen are torn from its body, resulting in its death shortly after the sting occurs.

This behavior serves a purpose; honey bees will typically sting only when they feel their hive is threatened. The loss of the bee is outweighed by the defense provided to the hive. This is in contrast to many other bee species, such as bumble bees and carpenter bees, which can sting multiple times without dying. Africanized honey bees, often referred to as "killer bees," exhibit similar stinging behavior to regular honey bees concerning their ability to sting only once and perish, reinforcing the correct association with honey bees.