Where did the term "birds and the the bees" originate?

Question

i can't figure out what it has to do with sex.

Answer 1

"The birds and the bees" (sometimes expanded to "the birds, the bees and the butterflies" or "the birds, the bees, the flowers, and the trees") is a commonly used phrase (which has become somewhat of a cliché) which refers to clumsy or inept attempts at sex education for children or adolescents, such as the use of euphemisms or symbols to describe sexual behaviour or body parts. A discussion about "the birds and the bees" may therefore involve references to nature (ie. animals and plants) without actually describing human biology or providing any useful insight.

The phrase is said to have its origins in a folk tale, whose exact source is unknown, that reportedly became popular in Southern Africa (probably Namibia) around the turn of the last century. It tells the story of a colony of bee-eater (Merops pusillus) birds laying their eggs after a meal of honeybees.

Or possibly derived from Kamadeva, Hindu god of love that is accompanied by a selection of Birds and Bees at all times.

The phrase was also part of a hit song in the early 1960s.

Answer 2

(1) “Sex education of less enlightened days often consisted of a few oblique references to birds laying eggs and bees pollinating flowers. The parent, satisfied that an unpleasant duty had been accomplished, then left the child to make his own dubious inferences regarding reproduction as it applied to the human species.”

(2) “The phrase the birds and the bees (sometimes further extended to birds, bees and butterflies) has been common in the language for at least the last couple of centuries to refer in a generalised way to the natural world (do journalists still refer dismissively to the natural-history column in their journals as “the birds-and-bees department”?). The alliteration has undoubtedly helped to make it a satisfactory formulaic expression. Fumbling attempts to explain the facts of life to children often involved analogies with birds laying eggs and bees pollinating flowers. So it’s easy to see how the expression could have turned into a sarcastic reference to such attempts.”

Answer 3

Not sure about the "birds" part... but the bees could have something to do with polination. ?? That's my best guess. I bet the answer is online somewhere... huh. Nevermind. I found lots of phrase origin places, but none of 'em had that one. Eh. That's my guess anyway... the polination thing. :)

Answer 4

From http://www.answers.com/topic/the-birds-and-the-bees-1

The phrase is said to have its origins in a folk tale, whose exact source is unknown, that reportedly became popular in Southern Africa (probably Namibia) around the turn of the last century. It tells the story of a colony of bee-eater (Merops pusillus) birds laying their eggs after a meal of honeybees.

Answer 5

i dont know but i think someone saw a bird getting it on with a bee [youch that hurt]

Answer 6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birds_and_the_Bees_(film)

That's a good question. This is the best I can come up with.

Answer 7

no clue!!!
our teachers used to use that as an example though.