Bees inside this mass consume honey and generate heat so that those in the cluster do not freeze. Wasp and Bee Stings Wasps and bees sting to defend themselves or their colony. Stinging involves the injection of a protein venom that causes pain and other reactions. Wasps and bumble bees can sting more than once because they are able to pull out their stinger without injury to themselves. If you are stung by a wasp or bumble bee, the stinger is not left in your skin.
Honey bees have barbs on their stinger which remain hooked in the skin.
The stinger, which is connected to the digestive system of the bee, is torn out of the abdomen as the bee attempts to fly away. As a result, the bee soon dies. Do not try to pull out the stinger between two fingers. Doing so only forces more venom into your skin, causing greater irritation. Most people have only local reactions to wasp and bee stings, although a few may experience more serious allergic reactions.