Early tests suggest 2-heptanone may also find a role in humans as a local anaesthetic.

BBC: Honey-bees found to have bite that stuns

Before now bees were thought to secrete 2-heptanone as an alarm pheromone to tell other colony members about a potential threat.

BBC: Honey-bees found to have bite that stuns

To stun pests, the 2-heptanone is injected at the site of the bite a bee inflicts on a mite, moth or larvae.

BBC: Honey-bees found to have bite that stuns

However, said Dr Papachristoforou, this had never seemed an entirely satisfactory explanation because 2-heptanone was so volatile that it quickly lost its potency.

BBC: Honey-bees found to have bite that stuns

The knock-out effect of the chemical secreted in the honey-bee bite, known as 2-heptanone, was discovered as Dr Papachristoforou and colleagues observed bees dealing with pests.

BBC: Honey-bees found to have bite that stuns