The Birds & the Bees - why does this refer to sex?

[JohnPPotts]

What does sex have to do with the birds and the bees - they don't mate with each other and most bees are sexless!

[lovelylad]

When a mummy bee and a daddy bee love each other very much...

[tester]

If bees are sexless how do they make more bees?

[tester]

Bees and Birds have crazy loving!

[JohnPPotts]

Bees are not ALL sexless, but the ones you're likely to meet are, if I remember rightly. The queen lays eggs, some of which are fertilized (and become workers) some of which aren't (and become drones). Only the drones go out to collect nectar, and the fact that they die if they sting you is no genetic loss (they can't reproduce in any case). In any event, they're plenty of creatures that reproduce asexually (eg. bacteria).

[jbeputnam]

The phrase is simply referring to something which is an act of nature. Birds and bees are part of nature - so is sex. The term isn't meant to link the two species as potential lovers!