Honeybees are remarkable creatures. They produce delicious honey, construct intricate beehives, and pollinate plants with their fuzzy legs and bodies. But why do these innocent-looking creatures evolve to perish after delivering a sting to predators? What makes self-defense so terminal for them? Discover the reasons behind this phenomenon. Timeline: 00:00: Why do bees die after stinging? 00:32: The science of the honeybee stinger 01:22: Anatomy of the stinger: Barbed blades & venom injection 02:10: Why barbs make removal impossible 02:53: Sting autonomy: How the stinger rips off 03:48: Post-sting survival 05:16: Evolution of the stinger 06:13: Other self-sacrificing insects 07:35: Honeybees vs. wasps 08:49: Why honeybees evolved a single-use stinger Get your copy of "Strange Creatures" now! It’s packed with amazing animal facts and beautiful original illustrations. Order here. Become an Animalogic member: Join here Get Animalogic Merch: Shop now Support Animalogic on Patreon: Support us Subscribe for new episodes on Fridays: Subscribe now More Animalogic: TikTok | Facebook Produced by Andres SalazarHosting and art by Danielle DufaultEditing by Jason ByrneVisual Research by Jan Aliño Examining the nature of the beast. 00:00: Why do bees die after stinging?00:32: The science of the honeybee stinger01:22: Anatomy of the stinger: Barbed blades & venom injection02:10: Why barbs make removal impossible02:53: Sting autonomy: How the stinger rips off03:48: Post-sting survival05:16: Evolution of the stinger06:13: Other self-sacrificing insects07:35: Honeybees vs. wasps08:49: Why honeybees evolved a single-use stinger #honeybee #bee #sting #insects #nature #wildlife #self-defense #evolution See show notes: https://inlet.fm/animalogic/episodes/68153969b43e2bbaf74142ab Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices