Stinger

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/stinger

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is a stinger and how does it work?A stinger is a tiny weapon that animals use to defend themselves or catch food. It delivers venom, a mix of chemicals that can hurt or stop other animals. The stinger is often sharp and sometimes has a barbed tip.
2. Why do bees and wasps have stingers?Bees and wasps have stingers to protect their colonies and themselves. The stinger is a modified egg‑laying tube that can inject venom into predators or prey. The venom can cause pain and inflammation.

Convergent Evolution: The independent evolution of similar features in different species.
Nematocysts: Specialized organelles within cnidarians that contain a coiled, barbed, venom-injecting thread.
Altruistic Act: Behavior that benefits another individual at a cost to oneself, often seen in social insects.