What happens to a honey bee after it stings?

When a honey bee stings, it uses its barbed stinger to penetrate the skin of its target. The design of the stinger is such that once it is lodged in the skin, it becomes difficult for the bee to pull it out. As the bee tries to fly away, the stinger, along with part of the bee’s abdomen and digestive tract, is torn from its body. This process results in the bee’s death shortly afterward. The loss of the stinger means that it cannot defend itself again in the future, effectively eliminating its ability to protect the hive from threats. Thus, the correct answer highlights the critical biological consequence of a honey bee’s defensive mechanism.