The honey bee is the most common single species of stinging insect in the United States. Bees and the related wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and ants usually do not sting unless stepped on, touched, or molested. The highest incidence of stings is in August. Yellow jackets, honey bees, and wasps are the worst offenders, in that order.
Yellow jackets cause more moderate and also more severe reactions than bees or wasps.
The poison gland system of the bee consists of a small alkaline gland and a larger acid gland. The venom comes from these two glands. The stinger is made up of two lancets with sharp barbs pointing backward, similar to a harpoon. When a honey bee stings, its stinger is pulled from its body. Even after the stinger is separated from the bee, its muscular mechanism can continue to force its venom into the wound.