[mytailorisrich]

I don't think game theory is involved as there is no 'conscious' decision involved. Your theory is purely based on evolution through natural selection: the death of a bee after it has strung would increase the survival chances of the hive enough that, over time that (initially random) trait would be favoured.

[jwarden]

Game theory doesn't have to operate at the level of individuals making conscious decisions. Consider the concept of the Evolutionary Stable Strategy:

https://cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/e/Evolutiona....

[mytailorisrich]

OK, thanks. Even so, IMHO this is 'simple' evolution through natural selection because a hive is equivalent to a single individual, not a population, evolutionary-speaking since a single individual reproduces and all the bees are also the offsprings of a single individual. So ultimately, IMHO the characteristics and behaviour of the hive only depend on the Queen and its survival. Which can also explain in part why sacrificing individual bees might be a successful strategy.