Do bees really die after stinging a person?

Yes, if the bee that stings is a worker bee, she will die shortly after stinging because the sting assembly separates from her body leaving an open wound. The sting assembly includes the stinger shaft, the glands and the muscles that pump the venom through the stinger.

A queen bee survives after stinging and may sting repeatedly because her stinger is less barbed, allowing her to withdraw it without injury to her body.