Sex, in addition to being necessary for the existence of the species, is an activity that releases numerous physical, mental, and even emotional benefits. Despite moral criticism, scientists have investigated this practice in animals, plants, and humans. The results have been varied and even surprising.
If we counted the curious facts that everyone knows about the reproduction process, we would never finish. So, to add some knowledge to that list, we share with you ten facts about the sexual life of birds and bees.
Of the birds:
Most males do not have penises. About 97% of species do not develop that part of the reproductive system. According to a study, this phenomenon is due to cell called “apoptosis” (or “programmed cell death”). The reason? It is believed that females prefer the absence of the penis, since in this way “[los machos] they are less able to approach females, leaving them the option to choose the best option to reproduce.”
Birds are aroused by a «cloacal kiss.» It is the method that birds use to reproduce, where both animals involved rub against their respective cloacas (final opening of the digestive tract). The process is really short.
The males put on a show to attract the females. They may flaunt their bright, colorful plumage, puff out their chests, or make domineering sounds; the males only try to seduce their future sexual partner. We share the Cornell’s Birds-of-Paradise Project video, which demonstrates this fact:
Ducks have corkscrew-shaped penises. Surprisingly, this shape adapts to the vaginal structure of females. According to scientific studies, this helps prevent sperm implantation when sex is not consensual.
Some females practice polyamory. Although 90% of birds tend to be monogamous, there are females that choose to be polygamous (they have more than two sexual partners).
Penguins have a long incubation period. The females incubate an egg during the Antarctic winter (May or June), then they go skating to look for food; meanwhile, the males, without having eaten, incubate the eggs with their feet, for 65 to 75 days. So when the mothers return, they regurgitate the food they collected during their absence to feed their young.
Of the bees:
The young queen bees make a mating flight, when the drones are at the end of their lives. When the bees are starting their reproduction process, they leave the hive for a week to mate with a dozen drones; which stick their endophalus into the queen. So, the male commits “sexual suicide”, since he dies once he inseminated the female.
Drones do not have parents. There are three types of bees: queen, worker bees (who are female), and drones (which are a small percentage of the hive). There are times when the queen bee lays unfertilized eggs, so they do not have parents.
Regicide is a fact of life for bees. When the queen bee’s fertility begins to fail, the worker bees kill the queen in a ball formation.
This is the penis of the drones.
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