Scientists Discover New Species Of Bees That Feed On Human Tears
May 07, 2012 12:52
Researchers have reportedly identified a species of bee (Lasioglossum gotham) that is said to thrive on drinking human sweat and tears. Bee warned, this picture below is pretty unnerving.
As you can see, this bee is so tiny that most people won't even notice blink while it feasts near their eyeballs. ABC News has more on this disturbing study:
When the odd bee did latch on, the researcher was often unaware. But when several bees set up shop, it was a different story.
"The experience was rather unpleasant, causing strong tear flow," the authors wrote in the 2009 study published in the Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. "Once a bee had settled and more were approaching, these tended to settle near each other in a row. Closing the eye did not necessarily dislodge bees but some continued to suck at the slit. They were even able to find and settle at closed eyes."
And apparently, these bees prefer the taste of human tears to other tasty treats. Now might be a good time to start walking around with goggles on:
Sweat suckers and tear drinkers favored bodily fluids over smoked fish, fresh meat, gruyere cheese and chocolaty Ovaltine, according to the study. The researchers suspect salt or other proteins and sweat and tears provide vital nutrients for the tiny workers - something to keep in mind on those hot summer days.
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