How do bees kill a mouse? - briefly
A swarm of bees can immobilize a mouse with multiple stings, delivering enough venom to induce systemic shock and fatal paralysis. The combined impact of the toxin, blood loss, and stress usually results in rapid death.
How do bees kill a mouse? - in detail
Bees can cause fatal outcomes in a mouse through a combination of mechanical injury and biochemical toxicity. When a mouse encounters a defensive swarm, it may receive multiple stings. Each sting injects venom composed primarily of melittin, phospholipase A₂, and apamin, which together disrupt cellular membranes, trigger hemolysis, and interfere with neuronal signaling.
The lethal process unfolds in several stages:
- Initial trauma: Repeated punctures breach skin and underlying tissue, leading to rapid blood loss and local inflammation.
- Venom action: Melittin creates pores in cell membranes, causing ion imbalance and cell lysis. Phospholipase A₂ hydrolyzes phospholipids, amplifying membrane damage and releasing inflammatory mediators. Apamin blocks calcium‑activated potassium channels, impairing nerve transmission.
- Systemic shock: Accumulated toxins provoke a cascade of cytokines, resulting in vasodilation, hypotension, and respiratory distress. In small mammals, the dose required to induce shock is reached after only a few dozen stings.
- Secondary complications: Tissue necrosis and bacterial contamination from the bee’s stinger can lead to septicemia if the animal survives the initial venom exposure.
Experimental data indicate that the median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of whole‑bee venom for rodents is approximately 2 µg per gram of body weight. A mouse weighing 25 g would therefore require roughly 50 µg of venom, which corresponds to about 30–40 stings from honeybees. Field observations confirm that mice trapped in hives or exposed to aggressive colonies often die within minutes due to the combined effects of hemorrhage, venom toxicity, and ensuing organ failure.