title: Structures, properties, and functions of the stings of honey bees and paper wasps: a comparative study.
abstract: Through natural selection, many animal organs with similar functions have evolved different macroscopic morphologies and microscopic structures. Here, we comparatively investigate the structures, properties and functions of honey bee stings and paper wasp stings. Their elegant structures were systematically observed. To examine their behaviors of penetrating into different materials, we performed penetration-extraction tests and slow motion analyses of their insertion process. In comparison, the barbed stings of honey bees are relatively difficult to be withdrawn from fibrous tissues (e.g. skin), while the removal of paper wasp stings is easier due to their different structures and insertion skills. The similarities and differences of the two kinds of stings are summarized on the basis of the experiments and observations.
authors.affiliation: AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Long
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Jun
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: State Key Lab of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China fengxq@tsinghua.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xi-Qiao
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Feng
keywords: Biomimetics; Honey bee; Mechanical property; Paper wasp; Penetration; Sting