Honey bee as apitoxin, carries several active components, the most abundant of which is melittin, and the most biologically active are enzymes, particularly phospholipase A2. Bee venom is under laboratory and clinical research for its potential properties and uses in reducing risks for adverse events from bee venom therapy, rheumatoid arthritis, and use as an immunotherapy for protection against allergies from insect stings. Bee venom products are marketed in many countries, but, as of 2018, there are no approved clinical uses for these products which carry various warnings for potential allergic reactions. With an increased number of honey bees in a specific
Ant venom Ant venom Ant venom is any of, or a mixture of, irritants and toxins inflicted by ants. Most ants spray or inject a venom, the main constituent of which is formic acid only in the case of subfamily Formicinae. Of all extant ant species, about 71% are considered to be stinging species, as some subfamilies have evolutionarily lost the ability to sting. Notable examples include a few species of medical importance, such as "Solenopsis" (fire ants), "Pachycondyla", "Myrmecia" (bulldog ants), and "Paraponera" (bullet ants). In the case of fire ants, the venom consists mainly of alkaloid (>95%) and protein (<1%)