this post was submitted on 03 May 2026
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Science Memes

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[–] queerlilhayseed@piefed.blahaj.zone 50 points 3 months ago

I've never wanted to brush a bee before but boy do I now.

[–] CannonFodder@lemmy.world 36 points 3 months ago (5 children)

You want a cat sized version of this? Nightmare fuel.

[–] Tempus_Fugit@lemmy.world 40 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Edit: apparently that's a tiger beetle.

Much cuter from just a few inches away.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 17 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I imagine its face would get cuter. Kind of like how lions will eat you if you don't agree with me

[–] aeshna_cyanea@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

That's also not a bee, bees don't have jaws

[–] CannonFodder@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago
[–] NannerBanner@literature.cafe 10 points 3 months ago

Yeah, I'd give those antennae ridges a good scritch.

[–] QuinnyCoded@sh.itjust.works 9 points 3 months ago

I've bonded with a rock before, I'm sure I would give this little guy a big ol hug

[–] BigBrownDog@lemmy.world 8 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I was thinking it would be terrifying. Also think about how bad bee stings hurt when they're small. I imagine a bee. The size of a cat would give you something similar to a bullet wound.

[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 12 points 3 months ago

It'd be like that Futurama episode when Fry is stung by the space bee, and the singer just kinda goes through without poisoning him.

[–] Noodle07@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Bumblebees dont have stingers though, right ? Big puppies

[–] BigBrownDog@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

Not only do bumblebees have stingers, they can sting multiple times without dying like honeybees.

[–] Dinglefluff@piefed.social 29 points 3 months ago

Make it happen science

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 26 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (4 children)

spoilerAnd then they'd sting you in the balls if you get up too fast

[–] alekwithak@lemmy.world 28 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

If there was a pet bumblebee industry there would also likely be a bumblebee cosmetic surgery industry like we see with other popular pets. I'm sure stinger removal would be a standard procedure for an indoor bee. Or they'd be bred out after so many years. Probably designer bee coats as well. I bet they'd bee pretty cute and cuddly.

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 33 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Just put a cork over the stinger

[–] cravl@slrpnk.net 9 points 3 months ago

Clown nose.

[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 27 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Bumblebees are not aggressive, and even though they can sting without dying (unlike honeybees), they generally don't. It would be like getting bitten by a Labrador. It's possible, but something went wrong somewhere for things to end that way...

[–] alekwithak@lemmy.world 7 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I'm by no means accusing any bees of violence beyond what is warranted, or any hypothetical pet bees of aggression, but as it is humanity clips dogs' tails and ears and breeds them into monstrosities for no reason other than aesthetics, so why wouldn't we do the same to any other hypothetical pet?

[–] PabloSexcrowbar@piefed.social 5 points 3 months ago

There are actually legitimate reasons to crop tails and ears in certain breeds. For instance, a lot of dogs with very floppy ears get ear infections so frequently and severely that they end up going deaf, and cropping them is a last-ditch effort to prevent that from continuing. I've also heard of at least one dog that broke his very skinny tail so many times from wagging it against furniture in happiness that he had to have it cropped.

[–] daannii@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Okay but assuming all body parts would scale up the same.
The stinger would be incredibly blunt.

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 5 points 3 months ago

Like getting punched in the balls i suppose

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

My balls or just any balls

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago
[–] pupbiru@aussie.zone 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

okay but that’s also cats

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

God i hope not

[–] nathanjent@programming.dev 16 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Bumble bees also eat small animals such as spiders, aphids and wasps not strictly nectar and pollen. I would be concerned having other small pets around these "kitten bees".

[–] rockerface@lemmy.cafe 26 points 3 months ago (1 children)

So literally just like cats

[–] quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Yes, except for the exposed mandibles. Cats would be terrifying if they didn't had lips.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 8 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Wow, so you could also groom a kitten size termite? How amazing would that be?

[–] alzymologist@sopuli.xyz 8 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I pet bees and bumblebees sometimes, pretty sure they enjoy it.

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 months ago
[–] Rcklsabndn@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I'm holding out for an Airedale sized earwig, chittering in my lap as I skritch it's carapace.