Le mot juste

Yesterday's post may have raised a smile - at least I hope it did - but it contained a common misuse of the language.  Snakes are not poisonous - they may be venomous but not poisonous.  Although the two words tend to be used interchangeably there is a subtle but important distinction between them. A poisonous thing is inert - in order to be harmed by it, you have to eat it, or maybe just touch it, but it doesn't have to do anything - just be there. A venomous creature, on the other hand, has to inject you with its venom to do you harm.  So snakes, spiders, wasps, ants and the like, which bite or sting are venomous - OK?