ABSTRACT
Self-defense strategies, such as venomous sting or bite, are used by a variety of organisms. Insects like bees, yellow jackets, and other wasps inject about 100150 µg (dry weight) of venom in a single sting (1). Yellow jackets and other wasps can inflict multiple stings, but during its lifetime a bee inflicts only one sting, during which it leaves its venom sac, from which 95% of the venom is delivered within 20 s, at the site. Although a European honeybee (Apis mellifera) has more venom of higher potency, the ferocity of Africanized honeybees is in the multiple stings delivered by a swarm. Severity of the toxic effect of bee venom varies widely within the human population. Although rarely lethal, the inflammatory effects of the venom spread well beyond the site of the sting. Single stings often cause edema and local inflammation that can last for several days. In a human subpopulation, multiple stings can cause anaphylactic shock.
