Venom organ failure. Many caterpillars have defensive venom glands associated with specialized bristles on the body, known as urticating hairs, which can be lethal to humans (e.g., that of the "Lonomia" moth), although the venom's strength varies depending on the species. Bees synthesize and employ an acidic venom (apitoxin) to cause pain in those that they sting to defend their hives and food stores, whereas wasps use a chemically different alkaline venom designed to paralyze prey, so it can be stored alive in the food chambers of their young. The use of venom is much more widespread than just these examples.
Evolution of snake venom in several lineages, proteins that pre-digest prey, and a method to track down prey after a bite. These various adaptations of venom have also led to considerable debate about the definition of venom and venomous snakes. The idea that venom had a single evolutionary origin has been called into question by a 2015 study, which found that venom proteins had homologs in many other tissues in the Burmese python. The study therefore suggested that venom had evolved independently in a number of snake lineages. The origin of venom is thought to have provided the catalyst for the rapid diversification of