Whereas the honeybee’s stinger is heavily barbed and cannot

Dear mohnish104,
I'm happy to help with this one.

First of all, see this blog about the idiom involved with the word "whereas":
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/gmat-idiom ... ed-idioms/

The word "whereas" sets up a comparison between two clauses. Since the first clause involved a form of the verb "to be", we expect the second clause to have that structure, and the two items compared to be the subjects:
Whereas A is X, B is Y.
That sentence compares A to B.

The answer choices that begin with "in comparison" are totally redundant, because "whereas" already is a comparative world. Choice (D) & (E) are out.

Choice (A) has a very confused structure ---- when a sentence begins "Whereas [clause #1], ...", it sets up the expectation that an independent clause will immediate follow the comma. It is very awkward to get to the comma and find the word "because" introducing an intervening subordinate clause. Choice (A) is out.

Choice (B) seems to compare "the honeybee’s stinger" to "the comparative smoothness of the yellow jacket’s stinger" ---- not a comparison of object to object, but of object to quality of object. Furthermore, the pronoun "them" has no proper antecedent --- it appears to refer to "stinger", which is singular, but then the pronoun shouldn't be plural. Choice (B) is out.

Choice (C) constructs the comparison correctly, and has no grammatical flaws. It is sleek, elegant, and precise. It is by far the best answer.
OA = (C)

Does all this make sense?
Mike