10 Science Myths You Probably Still Believe

2. Bees Die After They Sting You

We often view bees and the friendlier, fluffier version of wasps, and the myth that they die after stinging you probably has a large part to play in this. The poor bee is sacrificing its life in defence of queen, country and sugary snacks, what a noble little insect, whereas wasps can sting you as much as they like, making them buzzing b*stards.

Apart from the fact that it's not true.

There are 20,000 species of bee, and only one of those species, the honeybee, will die if they sting you. The rest will merrily sting away if they feel they are being threatened.

If you want to find a true villain in the story, then it might be worth knowing that it is only ever the female worker bees and wasps that sting, male bees are harmless, and can be identified by their smaller size in comparison with the males.