Question re Bumblebees

Thanks Dave - interesting, bit relieved - just wonder about the "brush off the mites with a fine paint brush", think the bumble would get distressed by being caught and then brushed. For years I was under the delusion that bumblebees did not sting, so used to gently catch those trapped in the conservatory by hand. Then one stung me - I have never had such a bad sting compared with that of wasps, bees and hornets, My hand swelled up into a big balloon, went white and almost solid and the pain was unbelievable. I then got upset because I had heard that bumbles die when they release a sting. Anyway from then on I used a glass and stiff bit of paper.