Venom

Venom is the generic name given to a variety of different mixtures of toxin produced by one organism and then injected in to another through a bite or sting.

Many different species of invertebrate are considered venomous. Venomous organisms deliver venom through a bite or sting. This should not be confused with poisonous organisms that are toxic only when consumed by another organism.

Bees, wasps and scorpions are some of the most well known of the venomous invertebrates but others include centipedes and pseudoscorpions. The venom can be used in defence, for example when bees defend their hive against an intruder or for feeding such as a centipede biting prey in order to subdue it quickly.

Many venomous species are brightly coloured so as to warn other animals.

A photograph of a house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). Centipedes are venomous invertebrates.
Photograph by Kevincollins123 licensed under Creative Commons.

Related terms

• Aculeate
• Africanised honey bees
• Apoidea
• Aposematism
• Chilopoda
• Fang
• Formicidae
• Honey bee
• Pseudoscorpion
• Spider
• Sting
• Vespidae
• Vespoidea

Related groups of terms

• General biology

See other words beginning with V