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Study

Hymenoptera venoms: striving toward the ultimate development of a non-allergenic venom

Schmidt, Justin O.

Annals of Allergy, 1990

Peer-reviewednarrative reviewmixed

What they did

A comparative account of the venoms of bees, wasps and ants, their composition, their effects and the basis of allergic response.

Studied in
Apis mellifera, Vespidae
Sample size
comparative account of hymenopteran venom composition and effect

What they found

Honey bee venom is a complex mixture dominated by melittin and phospholipase A2. The barbed sting of a honey bee worker lodges in elastic skin and tears free with part of the abdomen, killing the bee; wasps and bumblebees have unbarbed stings and can sting repeatedly.

What it means

The authors' reading, and ours. Where they differ, that difference is the point.

How the authors put it

Sting morphology and venom composition vary systematically across hymenopterans in ways that track their defensive ecology.

How NatureHQ reads it

Answers the most-asked bee question there is, and the answer is a piece of anatomy rather than sacrifice. The barb evolved against other insects, whose cuticle it pulls out of cleanly; mammal skin is elastic enough to hold it, so stinging a person is fatal to the bee as a side effect of a weapon designed for something else. A honey bee queen, whose sting is unbarbed, can sting repeatedly and survive.

Limitations

  • Older clinical literature; allergy management guidance has moved on and is not sourced here.
  • The widely quoted sting pain index is subjective and self-reported.
  • NatureHQ cites this for sting mechanics and venom composition only, not for medical advice.

What this study is used for on NatureHQ

One study can inform several subjects. Here is everywhere this one is cited.

Finding the paper

Published by: Elsevier journalsPublished in an Elsevier journal.

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NatureHQ summarises research in its own words and does not reproduce published text. Reviewed 2026-08-10.