Ouch!!

One of those things which "everybody knows" is that if a bee stings you, it dies. And like most of the things which "everybody knows" it ain't so.  Unless you're a bee-keeper, or live close to someone who is, when you think "bee" you almost certainly picture the fat, fuzzy black and yellow creature which you see flitting from flower to flower in your garden.  This is a bumblebee and this can sting you with no ill-effects to itself.  If you do live close to any hives, you may see what you might think is a wasp - a thinner, longer black and orange striped creature.  This is a honey bee, which as the name suggests spends most of its life in the hive making honey. This is the one which, if it stings you, will leave the sting, together with some of its innards in you as it flies away, and will die.  By the way, only females sting!