Are there any hymenoptera mimics that sting/ bite in defense?

I was in a situation years ago where I was afraid of removing a fly (dunno which specifically) until I realized it was mimicking a bee/wasp. I shooed it away, but I know that plenty of flies have mouthparts that pierce flesh, and it just occurred to me that some might use them in defense, and also happen to have batesian mimicry. A vertebrate example would be a snake that could bite you but doesn't have the venom to seriously harm you.

Does anyone know of examples for this? This post piqued my interest since replies were claiming that OP's partner was very likely mistaken in their belief that they were stung.

Posted Aug 3, 2026, 2:03 PM UTC

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