The birds and the bees - not a good analogy!

How did the birds and bees get elected as the animal world paragons of human analogous sexual and romantic relationships? Were they true analogies that would leave kids with really odd ideas…

“The birds and the bees” are used to broach the subject of sex. Which consists of species A and species B carrying the sperm of species C males to species C females. So this implies that humans engage in some kind of interspecies bukkake frottage bestiality orgy. And sure, birds have sex on their own, but the result is an egg! Little kids will think they started life as a big white ball.

“Birds do it, bees do it… fall in love”. Well ok, some birds are known for their monogamy, and we do have the phrase “lovebirds” but as far I know there are no “love bees”. The queen rules over a bunch of drones and has a brief copulation, otherwise spending her days laying eggs. This implies a normal human relationship involves one dominatrix ordering around a bunch of eunuchs, having a brief torrid affair with competing Lotharios, and then popping out infants one after the other for the rest of her life.

I guess it’s just a good thing the spider didn’t get voted in.

It is a pretty poor analogy - I think the bees reference is to the idea of pollination (just like the man “pollinates” the woman).

I agree though, surely far easier to just say “the man puts his penis inside the womans vagina and moves it until he ejaculates sperm which fertilise the egg inside the woman’s womb”.

Don’t forget the educated fleas.

Anyway, here’s Cecil’s response to the question What’s the origin of the phrase, “the birds and the bees”?

HOO WEE! I’ll bring the Sheep-Dip!

I came in just to say this:

“What a day, eh, Milhouse? The sun is out, birds are singing, bees are trying to have sex with them – as is my understanding…”

–Bart, “Homer Vs. Patty and Selma”