Aculeata

Aculeata is a section within the order Hymenoptera, which encompasses all stinging wasps, bees, and ants. The defining characteristic of Aculeata is the modification of the ovipositor (egg-laying structure) in females into a stinger, which is used for defense and prey immobilization, rather than egg laying. While some members of Aculeata have lost the ability to sting (e.g., some ants), they are still classified within this group based on their evolutionary history and shared ancestry. The group exhibits a wide range of social behaviors, from solitary hunters to highly complex eusocial colonies.