Behold the stinger, the bee's most famous feature. Located at the rear of the honeybee's body, the stinger is actually a modified ovipositor, the organ used for laying eggs.

Bees will only sting in self-defense or to protect the hive, and anyone who has had a run-in with a beehive can testify that it's an effective defense. If one worker bee senses danger she emits a warning pheromone that summons other bees to the fight.