Researchers have recorded the first high-speed visual evidence of how a honeybee’s stinger penetrates skin and continues injecting venom even after the bee detaches and dies. The unusual mechanism, where the stinger remains embedded while the bee flies away, has been documented in detail for the first time. This biological process may now serve as a model for developing ultra-small, efficient pumps capable of delivering precise doses of medication. The findings bridge insect physiology with potential medical engineering applications.
Scientists for the first time have captured high-speed footage revealing how a honeybee’s tiny, barbed stinger burrows into flesh and keeps pumping venom even after the insect flies away to die -- and the discovery could inspire miniature pumps for delivering medicine.
