How Do Bees Make Bee Venom?
Q: How do bees make bee venom?
A: Bee venom is produced in the venom gland of worker bees and queen bees. It is secreted from a gland connected to the stinger and stored in a venom sac. When a bee stings, the venom is injected into the target through the stinger, triggering pain, swelling, or defensive reactions. The venom contains proteins, enzymes, and peptides like melittin, which serve defensive and antimicrobial roles.
What Is Bee Venom?
Bee venom, or apitoxin, is a clear, colourless liquid that bees inject into intruders as a defense mechanism. It is:
- Acidic (pH ~4.5–5.5)
- Rich in bioactive compounds
- Designed to cause pain, inflammation, and immune responses
Bee venom is not produced in combs or secreted externally like honey or wax. It is made inside the bee’s body, in specialised glands linked to the stinger.
Why Do Bees Make Venom?
Bees make venom to defend the colony. It is used when:
- The hive is threatened
- A predator or human gets too close
- Another insect enters the hive
Venom serves as both:
- A pain-inducing agent to drive away threats
- A chemical signal to alert and mobilise other guard bees
Where Is Bee Venom Made?
| Structure | Function |
|---|---|
| Venom gland | Produces venom compounds |
| Venom sac | Stores venom until the bee stings |
| Stinger (ovipositor) | Delivers venom during a sting |
The venom gland is located in the bee’s abdomen, connected to the base of the stinger.
Step-by-Step: How Bees Make and Use Venom
1. Venom Production in the Gland
- Worker and queen bees synthesize venom from proteins and amino acids in their bodies.
- The venom gland begins producing venom once the bee reaches maturity (around day 12–14).
- Venom builds up in the venom sac, which holds 10–100 μg of venom.
Drone bees (males) do not have venom glands or stingers.
2. Activation and Stinging Behaviour
- If the hive is threatened, guard bees respond with alarm pheromones.
- A bee positions herself, arches her abdomen, and thrusts her stinger into the skin or target.
- The barbed stinger remains in soft skin, tearing out of the bee’s body after stinging. This kills the bee but delivers the full venom load.
In hard-shelled targets (like other insects), the bee may withdraw the stinger and survive.
3. Injection and Venom Delivery
- The stinger vibrates and automatically pumps venom into the wound.
- This continues even after the bee has flown or fallen away.
- Other bees are attracted by the alarm pheromone (isoamyl acetate) released during the sting.
What Is in Bee Venom?
Bee venom is a complex mix of over 50 active compounds.
| Component | Function |
|---|---|
| Melittin (~50% of dry venom) | Destroys cells, causes pain |
| Phospholipase A2 | Breaks down cell membranes, amplifies inflammation |
| Apamin | Affects nerves, causes muscle spasms |
| Histamine | Triggers itching and swelling |
| Hyaluronidase | Spreads venom through tissues |
| Mast cell degranulating peptide | Promotes allergic response |
These compounds work together to trigger:
- Pain
- Redness
- Swelling
- In severe cases, allergic reactions
Bee Stinger and Venom Gland
The venom sac (white bulb) continues to pulse and inject venom after the bee has detached. This mechanism maximises venom delivery during defense.
How Much Venom Does a Bee Produce?
| Bee Type | Venom Facts |
|---|---|
| Worker bee | Produces 0.1–0.3 mg of venom |
| Queen bee | Uses venom only to fight rival queens |
| Drone | Has no venom or stinger |
The venom sac refills slowly after a dry sting, and older bees often have more potent venom than young workers.
Does Bee Venom Kill the Bee?
Only worker bees die after stinging mammals. The barbed stinger lodges in soft skin and tears the abdomen upon removal.
Insects or other bees, however, may be stung without the worker dying, because the stinger is more easily retracted.
Queens can sting multiple times without dying, as their stinger is smoother and used mostly for rival queens during hive succession.
Bee Venom and Human Use
Bee venom is used in apitherapy and research for its medicinal potential.
| Use | Details |
|---|---|
| Anti-inflammatory | Used for arthritis, rheumatism |
| Pain relief | Applied in acupuncture or creams |
| Immunotherapy | Used to desensitise people allergic to bee stings |
| Cancer research | Melittin is being studied for selective cancer cell destruction |
⚠️ Use of bee venom should only be under professional guidance, especially for people with allergies.
Can Beekeepers Harvest Bee Venom?
Yes. Beekeepers collect venom using:
- A glass sheet with electric pulses
- Bees sting the sheet, depositing venom but not losing their stingers
- The dried venom is scraped off and purified
Harvesting is delicate. Excessive extraction can stress the bees.
Bee Venom FAQ
Q: What causes pain in a bee sting?
A: The peptide melittin damages cell membranes, causing burning pain and inflammation.
Q: Can a bee sting multiple times?
A: Only queen bees can sting multiple times. Worker bees usually die after stinging mammals.
Q: Is bee venom acidic or basic?
A: Bee venom is acidic with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5.
Q: What happens after a bee stings?
A: The stinger and venom sac remain in the skin, injecting venom for several seconds. The bee often dies soon after.
Q: Can bee venom be used for therapy?
A: Yes. It’s used in apitherapy to treat inflammatory conditions, but risks include allergic reactions.
Why Bee Venom Matters
Bee venom is both a powerful defense tool and a potential therapeutic compound. It helps bees protect their colony from invaders and contributes to colony survival, especially at the hive entrance.
For humans, bee venom:
- Triggers defensive pain
- Can cause serious allergic reactions
- Offers promising applications in medicine and immunotherapy
Understanding how bees make and use venom helps beekeepers, medical researchers, and the public appreciate this complex insect behaviour — not just as a threat, but as a natural biological system with defensive and healing potential.
Bee venom from South African bees is chemically similar to venom globally but has gained increased attention locally due to interest in apitherapy and cosmeceuticals, especially in provinces like Gauteng and Limpopo where venom extraction is emerging commercially.
🐝 Explore More in the “How Bees Make…” Series