A bee sting typically appears as a small red or pink welt on the skin with swelling around the area. You may notice a small white spot at the center where the stinger punctured the skin, and sometimes the stinger itself, which looks like a small brown or black dot with tiny barbs, may still be lodged in the skin

. The sting site often becomes swollen, red, itchy, and warm to the touch. The pain from the sting is sharp and burning, usually lasting 1–2 hours, while the swelling can continue for up to a week. Discoloration of the skin may persist for a few days

. When a honey bee stings, it leaves its barbed stinger embedded in the skin along with a venom sac that continues to pump venom into the wound until removed. This causes the area to swell and become painful. Removing the stinger quickly helps reduce the amount of venom injected

. In summary, a bee sting looks like a red, swollen, itchy bump with a possible white center and sometimes a visible stinger, accompanied by pain and warmth around the site