Science of Survival: Bee Still My Heart
A bee sting won't hurt you unless you're allergic—or so you thought until you disturbed a hive of African bees
Outside Podcast · Outside Podcast
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Show Notes
Bee venom is similar to a rattlesnake’s. It rapidly disperses in your tissue, and when you’re stung, the pain you feel is a combination of proteins and peptides attacking your cell membranes. Each sting contains enough venom to incapacitate a small mouse, but bees won’t really hurt you unless you’re allergic. Or at least, that’s what you thought until you disturbed a hive of Africanized bees, which have been known to chase attackers for more than ten hours.