this post was submitted on 03 May 2026
586 points (99.8% liked)

Science Memes

20244 readers
1510 users here now

Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



Rules

  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
  3. No spam.
  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.

This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.



Research Committee

Other Mander Communities

Science and Research

Biology and Life Sciences

Physical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences

Practical and Applied Sciences

Memes

Miscellaneous

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 
all 41 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old

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

[–] CannonFodder@lemmy.world 35 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

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

[–] Tempus_Fugit@lemmy.world 39 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Edit: apparently that's a tiger beetle.

Much cuter from just a few inches away.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks 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 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

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

[–] NannerBanner@literature.cafe 9 points 2 weeks ago

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

[–] QuinnyCoded@sh.itjust.works 9 points 2 weeks 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 2 weeks ago (1 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.

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

Bumblebees dont have stingers though, right ? Big puppies

[–] BigBrownDog@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

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

[–] Dinglefluff@piefed.social 29 points 2 weeks ago

Make it happen science

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 26 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (4 children)

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

[–] alekwithak@lemmy.world 28 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks 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 34 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Just put a cork over the stinger

[–] cravl@slrpnk.net 9 points 2 weeks ago

Clown nose.

[–] ada@piefed.blahaj.zone 26 points 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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 2 weeks 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 2 weeks ago

Like getting punched in the balls i suppose

[–] pupbiru@aussie.zone 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

okay but that’s also cats

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

God i hope not

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

My balls or just any balls

[–] FinjaminPoach@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago
[–] nathanjent@programming.dev 16 points 2 weeks 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 2 weeks ago (1 children)

So literally just like cats

[–] quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

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

[–] alzymologist@sopuli.xyz 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

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

[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I used to pet the really fat dopey round ones.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 2 points 2 weeks ago

Years ago, we had a big garden with snapdragons, and those big fat bumble bees would root deep inside the blossoms, with their big butts hanging out. My cat would go up and put her nose right on their butts to get a good whiff! Never got stung. The bees didn't even really mind, it seemed.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 8 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

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

[–] Rcklsabndn@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

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