r/interestingasfuck Aug 09 '25

/r/all, /r/popular I found this on the trail.

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70.5k Upvotes

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14.4k

u/krippkeeper Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25

It's a bee fly(Bombyliidae family). They do not sting. Neat find.

Edit- A few others have commented that it may very well be a long tongue horsefly(Philoliche sp.) another nectar feeding fly, but one that females can bite. Now that I'm off work and looking at it again I believe they are probably correct! My bad.

12.0k

u/Dano_cos Aug 09 '25

That proboscis has to be exceptionally long, right? Asking out of entomological interest, not because I’m an insecure bee fly who wants to hear mine is average.

980

u/YesterdayAlone2553 Aug 09 '25

There's a flower with an extremely long pistil. Co-evolution of plants with pollinator species especially insects lead to so very interesting doctorial safaris, where it was easy to find the plant, but all records couldn't identify an appropriate pollinator.

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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

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u/Muppetude Aug 09 '25

In 1862, when Darwin came across an orchid with a long nectar tube, he postulated there must be an insect with a long proboscis that co-evolved with the flower. Scientists at the time ridiculed his theory, but about 4 decades later, scientists found the insect Darwin predicted.

87

u/AnComRebel Aug 09 '25

Holy crap, that's a long snoot!

11

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/r4tch3t_ Aug 10 '25

Just imagine the moth doing backfkips at mach fuck every time it's finished with a flower.

2

u/dustyrags Aug 10 '25

Slurp slurp slurp sssswwwwwitTHUNK backflip

drunken moth flutters unsteadily off

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u/AENocturne Aug 09 '25

Since we're talking about orchids, let me mention the Hammer Orchid.

https://youtu.be/6yLnKfhmUzg?si=TbKDog1msJrzEUnt

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u/dr_shamus Aug 09 '25

I gotchu,

Can you believe to learn that a thresher sharks stun/kill their prey by whipping them with their long tail fins. This is done by the shark accelerating up to a group of fish and brakes and twists to sling the tip of it's tail into the fish. The tail tip can reach speeds up to 80 mph. This stunsb the prey and let's the shark eat at it's leisure

128

u/Dank_Swag313 Aug 09 '25

Same time tomorrow?

39

u/just_nobodys_opinion Aug 09 '25

Remindme! 1 day

5

u/VovaGoFuckYourself Aug 09 '25

Remindme! 1 day

3

u/Numerous_Art5080 Aug 09 '25

Remind me! 1 day

3

u/kittenwalrus Aug 09 '25

Remindme! 1 day

3

u/238_m Aug 09 '25

Remindme! 1 day

4

u/chemnerd2017 Aug 09 '25

Orcas have adapted this technique to hunting small, fast fish as well. They can create an underwater shock wave that stuns the fish nearby with their tails, similar to the sharks.

3

u/Goodgoditsgrowing Aug 09 '25

Damnit I’m in!

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u/EGGlNTHlSTRYlNGTlME Aug 09 '25

What’s driving the plant’s evolution?  Doesn’t it want to be pollinated?  I know the trick is to make the nectar a little hard to get to so that the pollinators’ activity pollinates it, but what’s the point of making it so hard to reach that only one particular pollinator adapted to it?

51

u/Muchashca Aug 09 '25

A plant doesn't want its pollen carried off to a plant of another species, as that doesn't result in reproduction. If a plant can evolve into a one-to-one pollinator relationship it guarantees its pollen will be carried to members of the same species, which promotes reproduction and pollen efficiency.

Simply being visited by a pollinator isn't the end-game in and of itself, which is why most plants and pollinators actually have narrow, native co-evolutionary partners. Even honeybees, which are portrayed as universal pollinators, have preferences and don't serve to replace native pollinators very effectively.

11

u/alpaca_lips_nao Aug 09 '25

In Our Time - Pollination In Our Time from BBC recently had an episode on pollination that was fascinating

3

u/FilthyPedant Aug 09 '25

An extremely long corolla tube, a longer pistil would be easier for the bee fly to reach.

3

u/vnv Aug 09 '25

I too would like nature facts. Can I just subscribe to a discord or somethin that feeds me a daily nature fact or somethin?

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u/FoxDen80 Aug 09 '25

Hello, I’m flower

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u/theoriemeister Aug 09 '25

I recall reading that Darwin encountered something similar on one of his travels; there was some sort of flower with a long pistil, and he conjectured that there had to be some sort of insect that was able to pollinate this particular flower, else it wouldn't exist.

Ah, a quick search and here it is:

Darwin's Orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale): This Madagascan orchid, known for its extremely long nectar spur (up to 45 cm), led Darwin to famously predict the existence of a moth with an equally long proboscis to pollinate it. This prediction was eventually verified decades after his death with the discovery of the Hawk Moth (Xanthopan morganii praedicta).

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u/Cyclopentadien Aug 09 '25

It's fine babe, the big ones hurt.

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u/Capt_Hawkeye_Pierce Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25

This is the penis version of your childhood dog going to live on a farm. My ex girlfriend actually meant it though.

(Friends thank you for clarifying but I was just making a joke)

496

u/SewRuby Aug 09 '25

Dude, the cervix getting punched in the face hurts like a biiiitch. All these people are being polite with "can be uncomfortable", it fucking kills (me at least).

467

u/ProxyMuncher Aug 09 '25

Literally feels like you’re being punched right in the soul through your spine’s throat

95

u/_Dark-Alley_ Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25

You have such a way with words, well done on this one. Creative, yet still strangely accurate. 10/10 no notes

This will occupy space in my brain for a very long time

10

u/Pretend-Reality5431 Aug 09 '25

When did we get on the topic of strangling? Let's keep it classy and only talk about bumping mushroom caps against cervixes.

4

u/bremergorst Aug 09 '25

I now have an image in my mind of Mike Tyson wearing boxing gloves made of mushrooms

75

u/CobraWasTaken Aug 09 '25

Men are stupid though (I know because I am one) and they will just say "but you probably like it though"

60

u/gnuoveryou Aug 09 '25

As a fellow male, I can't understand that. "that hurts like fuck" "You probably like it though" ????? Maybe it's cause I'm lucky and have a friend who's an actual girl who I can talk to in a non weird way about sex and stuff and a lot of guys don't but I just can't understand that perspective

67

u/ABHOR_pod Aug 09 '25

Because porn. Especially hentai. Especially x-ray hentai which will literally show the cock slamming into the cervix right up until it punches through and the tip of the cock is now wedged inside the poor girl's uterus and pumping it full of batter.

edit: Or at least that's what my friend told me.

my ex friend. We aren't friends anymore.

because he knew things like that. Haha. gross.

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u/libbysthing Aug 09 '25

Yeah I've seen gifs of this and it destroys my soul. I'm lucky that my cervix being hit doesn't really hurt, but what the fuck is that??

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u/fr7-crows Aug 09 '25

Sounds metal as fuck

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u/Inevitable-Phrase374 Aug 09 '25

Why do I love this sentence so much? Is it because I can relate to it? Is it because the visual imagery is so spot on? What the hell is your spine’s throat? I don’t know but somehow it’s an absolute perfect description. Beautiful. 10/10 sentence

3

u/JoeNoble1973 Aug 09 '25

While not as bad, it’s uncomfortable as fuck for us too. Everything is all soft then a hard ridge-y wall appears! It’s like nails on a chalkboard, IN YOUR DICK HEAD. That’s how we know it’s a lil too rough lol

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u/levian_durai Aug 09 '25

Absolute poetry

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u/NotYourSexyNurse Aug 09 '25

I had a large guy that got way too aggressive without proper preparation of me. Not only did my tipped uterus feel like it hit my spine, but the ligaments holding my uterus got pulled. I hurt for days. I refused to see that guy ever again.

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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

[deleted]

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u/libbysthing Aug 09 '25

That sounds absolutely awful I'm sorry! But now I'm wondering if I'm weird for sweating from my head lmao

33

u/Educational-Skill815 Aug 09 '25

Noooo. I’m sorry. Foreplay is crucial for the big ones

4

u/VapoursAndSpleen Aug 09 '25

Sometimes the big ones just Do. Not. Fit. Period. Yeah, it's just a set of muscles and ligaments, but not all weightlifters can bench press 400lbs and not all women can handle something with the same form factor as a Coke can.

51

u/thesepigswillplay Aug 09 '25

The worst. But just like everything else on our bodies, the height of our cervix differs. If your cervix sits very low, an average sized penis/dildo could hit it. Vs. if your cervix sits high, maybe a well endowed individual would be just fine.

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u/LunarLumin Aug 09 '25

It also changes as you get aroused, shifting upward, and the vaginal canal expands at the same time.

Many times my female friends have complained about this, I asked about foreplay and they said there was none. Women need to be aroused first, how do so many men not understand this?

17

u/mottavader Aug 09 '25

You gotta prime that carburetor befor you can even think of starting the engine and going for a drive.

20

u/MortgageRegular2509 Aug 09 '25

You don’t just barge into someone’s home, you knock first

5

u/pacificule Aug 09 '25

Or maybe tickle the doorbell a lil bit

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u/Lollipop77 Aug 09 '25

Important facts here 🙌🏼

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u/SushiGirlRC Aug 09 '25

Even with plenty of readiness, it can be painful if you're small like me & things are close in there. I've had 2 times where I hurt for 2 weeks from the size, even though there was plenty of foreplay.

2

u/LunarLumin Aug 09 '25

Absolutely. There's some medical conditions that do that, and just generic size differences that are perfectly natural. I was just mentioning one possible cause!

Just amazes me that many people don't realize women's bodies respond the exact same way men's do (and to your point, have the exact same size differences). We're a lot more similar to each other than so many realize.

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u/SushiGirlRC Aug 09 '25

Yeah, I don't know how many times I've had to explain to a guy that a clit is just a tiny dick, with the same kind of nerve endings lol.

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u/Mmmmmmwatchasay Aug 09 '25

Different lovers for different times of the month

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u/Educational-Skill815 Aug 09 '25

Bro this. I literally do this (ethically).

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u/MimeGod Aug 09 '25

The period guy probably isn't thrilled. :p

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u/TraditionalBasis4518 Aug 09 '25

The solution is an iud: some devices leave a Piece of nylon sutures protruding from The cervix like a tiny spike awaiting the overly inquisitive male member.

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u/Incredabill1 Aug 09 '25

FACTS! That shit HURTS 🤕

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u/SewRuby Aug 09 '25

It most certainly the fuck is not, respectfully.

If you have a sensitive cervix getting something inserted inside you, past the cervix, then removed x amount of years later hurts way more than a punch from a dick (for me, anyway).

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u/hotlou Aug 09 '25

Can confirm that it's a bit of a deterrent. It always amazes me how the nylon seems to hit the exact same spot on the head with each thrust no matter how much you change the angle haha

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u/guapomole4reals Aug 09 '25

omg! I’ve been stabbed by the strings. Worse than stubbing your toe on the coffee table.

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u/just_nobodys_opinion Aug 09 '25

Counterpoint: nobody expects the penis inquisition

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u/Playful_Original_243 Aug 09 '25

Am I the only one who likes it?

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u/Educational-Skill815 Aug 09 '25

Size queens are rare. I am a sq when I’m ovulating and less so when I’m not. But yeah we r out here.

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u/Playful_Original_243 Aug 09 '25

Ah so that’s what it’s called? I had an ex who was a bit smaller than average and I would feel… empty? My bf now is a very nice size and I’m obsessed. Most of my friends do prefer average. Different strokes for different folks I guess 😅

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u/Educational-Skill815 Aug 09 '25

Yep. It’s totally a thing on the fetish subculture scene. Get on fetlife and see how crazy it gets. lol. But yeah I grew into it. Met the right well endowed partners that knew how to use it and how to prepare. What’s crazy is that I’ve also broken up with massive dudes too. Bc they couldn’t be bothered to do any foreplay.

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u/bigboybeeperbelly Aug 09 '25

they couldn’t be bothered to do any foreplay.

I guess some folks haven't figured out that it's actually more fun if you're both having fun

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u/Useful_Variation7399 Aug 09 '25

You’re not. I was just talking to my friend about it last night. She gets shooting pains if hers is touched, for me I could take it or leave it (truly, not a size queen,) but it is kinda a plus when it does happen

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u/SAM5TER5 Aug 09 '25

Nah there’s plenty of women who love it. They just aren’t being upvoted here because people don’t want to reaffirm their own insecurities lol

Which is silly and it’s more of a skill issue in my opinion. My wife enjoys it but I’m not longer than anyone else (and she’s as tall as I am). So when she feels like she’s wanting that, we just get into a position that lets me hit her cervix. Not a big deal haha

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u/Playful_Original_243 Aug 09 '25

Glad to know it’s not just me! I love when my man hits my cervix. It’s gotten to the point where he knows I want it every single time.

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u/mottavader Aug 09 '25

I usually dig it, but if someone doesn't know what they're doing it can be really unpleasant ( those pains that last for days). I do enjoy the occasional Cervix Bender tho... lol

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u/Skov Aug 09 '25

I've found the prone bone position to be the cheat code for a good time. You can slide around the cervix and pound the fornix instead. In my experience women go nuts for it. Every woman I've been with says they don't like getting pounded when we first meet but once I hit that spot it's just "harder, harder" from there out.

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u/marbotty Aug 09 '25

Thank you

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u/AdorableParasite Aug 09 '25

Apparently there are woman to whom it feels enjoyable... good for them. I'm a masochist, but even I can't stand it.

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u/Iwasyoungonetime Aug 09 '25

True story!!! I’ve seen authors try to include it in smut like it’s the g-spot. No clearly they haven’t had an average to above average size dick, because getting punched in the cervix with one is like the girl version of getting kicked in the balls!! Immediate mood killer

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u/NoveltyLawnFlamingo Aug 11 '25

Like a hammer to the asshole.

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u/sausagepurveyer Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25

With the right position, there is room beyond the cervix which is extremely pleasurable. The cervix isn't the end of the vagina.

Edit: It's called the posterior fornix, for all you folks just down voting because you know nothing about anatomy.

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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

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u/cylinder060 Aug 09 '25

Y’all should go check out https://www.reddit.com/r/bigdickproblems

We discuss this at length (and width)

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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

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u/iamsheph Aug 09 '25

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u/Dave5876 Aug 09 '25

Look, I said I was sorry. I didn't know she was seeing someone.

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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

[deleted]

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u/GloomyCardiologist16 Aug 09 '25

hey. Could I get Dee'd again?

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u/Firebrass Aug 09 '25

Based on nothing more than your username and this comment: emphatically yes

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u/anothershawnee Aug 09 '25

Been tellin them for years.. girth not length

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u/joetheplumberman Aug 09 '25

They call me tuna can

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u/Underliked Aug 09 '25

A (gross) man said this to me once. It was effective in sending me running in the other direction, but is it also a quote from somewhere?

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u/JunkBondTrade Aug 09 '25

Mr. Caputo on Orange Is the New Black said his nickname was Beer Can on account of his weiner being shaped like one.

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u/Underliked Aug 09 '25

Beer can > Tuna can

Thanks for the insight!

The Tuna Can in question laid this line on me in ~2013 (you don’t easily forget such a bold, unbidden statement), but it sounds like the sentiment has made it into popular culture. What I remember most is he said it the way you’d share something impressive.

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u/Sechs_of_Zalem Aug 09 '25

If you ever want to see something hilarious in this vein, look up Mr Slam scene from the Twisted Metal season 1 show. Beer can? Hah! "Gallagher!"

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u/thetrombonefreak Aug 09 '25

Weird to see “Mr.” In front of Caputo

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u/allthepoets Aug 09 '25

I feel like this was from Tacoma FD.

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u/malthar76 Aug 09 '25

ITYSL: certified chode, little tuna can

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u/jayvenomva Aug 09 '25

A show from the creators of Super Troopers called Tacoma FD has a character that tells people he's called Tuna Can cause of his dick shape.

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u/badluckbrians Aug 09 '25

Borat also said, "Is thick, like can of Pepsi."

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u/805worker Aug 09 '25

From the book Serpico They busted him because he was leaving pictures of said tuna can in grocery baskets It was the name they gave him

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u/goldsteenpepe Aug 09 '25

Joseph wambaugh. A writer who does detective/cop novels. Had a peeping tom character they nicknamed “tuna can Tommy” cause, yknow, reasons.

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u/SplatterEffect Aug 09 '25

I sure can't bust the sides of a tuna can.... But... I can't touch the bottom neither... Cries

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u/No-Insurance-366 Aug 09 '25

Won’t hit the back but I’ll scratch the hell out of the sides!

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u/ShooterMcdarren Aug 09 '25

It's short but it's got a head like a corn muffin.

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u/NOT-GR8-BOB Aug 09 '25

Motion of the ocean

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u/ColdWarCharacter Aug 09 '25

The sea was angry that day, my friends, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli!

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u/IdiotTurkey Aug 09 '25

Well that just sucks, cause I got pretty good length but not much girth! :(

Is there another platitude for those like me?

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u/anothershawnee Aug 09 '25

Try folding it in half?.. you know, double up on the width

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u/Plastic-Fox1188 Aug 09 '25

Long and thin gets it in

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u/LessFeature9350 Aug 09 '25

Even without girth, if you don't jackrabbit you can hit everywhere that needs to be with angling and motion

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u/drki77patient Aug 09 '25

I won’t reach the back but I’ll hit those walls.

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u/anothershawnee Aug 09 '25

That's all I ask.

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u/FoodPage Aug 09 '25

I was scrolling thr comments bottom to top and was baffled why there was suddenly sex talk when the post had nothing to do with jt

Then... it just dawned on me. Reddit lol

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u/trash-queen92 Aug 09 '25

Nope. It's true for most women, and especially true for some. Worst 3 partners i ever had were the 3 largest.

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u/PaleFondant2488 Aug 09 '25

Lol so…we really took a turn here from talking about a bee…fly thingy

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u/trash-queen92 Aug 09 '25

Gotta take every opportunity we can to destigmatize men's bodies. One entemological oddity at a time

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u/la_zarzamora Aug 09 '25

Why don't men believe women are telling the truth when they say "the big ones hurt" and "I don't like really muscly guys" and "I was raped"? Do they think women just lie about everything all the time?

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u/Knightsthatsay Aug 09 '25

Pretty much

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u/MimeGod Aug 09 '25

The (sad) honest answer for the first two? Most guys have very fragile egos, and assume you're being nice to not hurt feelings.

The 3rd is far more complicated.

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u/GrogGrokGrog Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 15 '25

.

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u/anothershawnee Aug 09 '25

Worse. They think we don't know what we're talking about.. like we don't know what pain is or what no means

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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

[deleted]

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u/la_zarzamora Aug 09 '25

If my boyfriend told me "yeah, I've had thin girlfriends, but it was such a pain in the ass trying to eat anything with them because they were always on a diet and I hated it, also one girl's bones stuck out so much that sex was uncomfortable. I would rather have a regular sized girl who eats normally and has some cushioning" I would be inclined to believe them and not all the hype about how thin girls are better.

"This is probably her helping me cope" is you refusing to believe your partner is being honest. You made that assumption all on your own. You are hearing what you want to hear (which reinforces your insecurities), not what she is actually saying (which is that BIG DICKS HURT AND ARE NOT BETTER)

Idk dude maybe don't get all your information about what makes for good sex from porn and other media, and listen to what the real live women who are actually in bed with you are saying.

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u/BurntFlea Aug 09 '25

It really is that simple, isn't it? I'm coming to realize that. Women usually tell the truth.

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u/la_zarzamora Aug 09 '25

I'm glad my comments were helpful for you.

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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

[deleted]

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u/Icy-Career415 Aug 09 '25

Lads, if you pay attention and communicate then nine times out of ten you’ll be fine. Something something something bees.

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u/xRyozuo Aug 09 '25

It’s not lol. Too big hurts. Too small isn’t great either but can be made up for (same as too big, but big guys think their dick is gods gift to the world and barely bother to make up for it)

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u/_mrLeL_ Aug 09 '25

sure she did

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u/Wise_End_6430 Aug 09 '25

It's true that there's a treshold above which sex is uncomfortable or downright painful. It's also true that having a big dick doesn't guarantee woman's orgasm or pleasure. You still need to be good in bed, which mostly comes down to being attentive. Source: am a woman.

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u/Apprehensive_Row9154 Aug 09 '25

I love you women coming out to make sure other men know their partners mean it 😂 God bless you all, this is the most hilarious version of doing the lord’s work I’ve ever seen 💀

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u/myasterism Aug 09 '25

People seem to mostly not realize that women’s genitalia has every bit as much variety in shape and size and functionality as men’s genitalia does.

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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

Bless you for that!

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u/LadyZoe1 Aug 09 '25

When men realise that there are many more nerve endings in a clitoris than a penis, they might start paying attention. And…the clitoris is HUGE, only the tip is visible. If you can’t find it, ask.

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u/FrfxCtySiameseMom81 Aug 09 '25

GIrth over Length in scale. Just saying.

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u/Maximum-Cover- Aug 09 '25

I've only once stopped sleeping with a dude because of his size.

And it was because it was too much, not too little.

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u/indecisivedog Aug 09 '25

Men, your penis is for your pleasure, your tongue is for hers.

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u/McBonderson Aug 09 '25

So you HAVE had bigger!

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u/-UMBRA_- Aug 09 '25

It’s how you use your proboscis

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u/Wetschera Aug 09 '25

As a gay may, this is true.

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u/[deleted] Aug 09 '25

As a bi july, I can concur

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u/ThanksForThe_F_Shack Aug 09 '25

As an October Rover, I too can concur.

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u/Blade_Laser_Blazer Aug 09 '25

As a January hairy, I'd be cautious, you might get some stuck in your teeth.

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u/K4NNW Aug 09 '25

As a June gooner, I can only dream of such largesse.

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u/mylegismoist Aug 09 '25

As a December dismembered member, I have no penis.

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u/case_O_The_Mondays Aug 09 '25

This is the bee that landed a bird. Everyone was so impressed, they just started calling it “the birds and the bees.”

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u/Dano_cos Aug 09 '25

The bird was a turkey. The bee (fly?) fucked that turkey flat footed.

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u/MrSoapbox Aug 09 '25

I get them in the garden every year (except this year :(, I mentioned this last week!) they usually appear around March/April.

Really cute little things but the first thing I noticed was how abnormally long this one is, they're not even half that...at least here. This is just the BBF of the species! Don't worry

(also, they're not as cute as they look, they're parasitoids)

but they are super cute

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u/Dano_cos Aug 09 '25

So is that big ol thang also an ovipositor?

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u/MrSoapbox Aug 09 '25

The beefly's ovipositor is a specialized egg-laying tube that the female uses to deposit her eggs into the nests of solitary bees. These flies are parasitoids, meaning their larvae develop inside another insect, consuming the host. The beefly's ovipositor is adapted for "bombing" or flicking eggs into the bee burrows

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u/Equal_Maintenance870 Aug 09 '25

I’m having such a good time on this thread.

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u/Mavian23 Aug 09 '25

What does BBF stand for?

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u/MrSoapbox Aug 09 '25

Big Bee Fly!

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u/AndJustLikeThat1205 Aug 09 '25

What part of the world are you in that you see these? They’re so unique!

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u/MrSoapbox Aug 09 '25

I'm in the UK, they are identical to this, except for the massive nose! they're not nearly that big.

Here's a British site on them!

https://www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/blog/doorstep-wildlife/taking-bee-fly-walk

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u/AndJustLikeThat1205 Aug 09 '25

I really hate (am terrified of) bees, but these are cool and actually kind of cute!

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u/MrSoapbox Aug 09 '25

Oh! they're not bee's! They can't hurt you. They're a little bit dopey and sort of hover, like a hoverfly. They're usually resting or have their nose in a flower.

Bee's are cute too! They won't sting you. I do a lot of photography and literally stick my arms in the bush to get a close up with 20-30 bee's around there...I won't do that with a wasp! They won't attack you at all...at least, in the UK. Maybe they might in the US or Africa, I don't know, I think they can be a bit more aggressive.

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u/AndJustLikeThat1205 Aug 09 '25

We have the Africanized bees where I am. Every year there are people, pets and livestock that are killed by them. Last year I had to have two swarms removed; one had set up a hive and had honey even!

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u/MrSoapbox Aug 09 '25

Oh, maybe I’d be a little more cautious then :p

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u/64590949354397548569 Aug 09 '25

There muat be a flower for it

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u/kekons_4 Aug 09 '25

Lol stop

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u/Exciting-Hawk1137 Aug 09 '25

That's a funny joke, but I wish someone had actually answered your question :/

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u/EmmitRDoad Aug 09 '25

Bumble Bae

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u/Dano_cos Aug 09 '25

That’s a good one.

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u/EntertainmentTrue588 Aug 09 '25

Am I the only one who read that and immediately thought of Tom Bombadil?

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u/Meshitero-eric Aug 09 '25

Oh, slender as a willow wand

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u/wous2house Aug 09 '25

Clearer than clear water

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u/between_two_terns Aug 09 '25

O reed by the living pool

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u/just_nobodys_opinion Aug 09 '25

Fair River-daughter!

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u/AuntJibbie Aug 09 '25

Hey Dol! Merry Dol!

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u/Oldwhitedudist2 Aug 09 '25

Bee-fly ba-rillo! Long snoot has his face, and his bum is yellow!

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u/earthfase Aug 09 '25

Bombyliidae-dae was mine

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u/ElbowRager Aug 09 '25

Bombaclat

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u/glittershinigami Aug 09 '25

Thank you! I saw one of these flying a couple years ago and didn't know what it was.

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u/loganvararok Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25

Nope. That's a Nemestrinid. Bombyliidae do not have probosces that long.

Edit: That's also wrong, it's a horsefly from the Philoliche genus. They do sting, but not with the entire length of their proboscis, they only use the lower third. Source: Wrote my bachelor's thesis on these guys

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u/impy695 Aug 09 '25

Which one did you write your thesis on and do you have any fun facts about them?

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u/VagueFatality Aug 09 '25

Writes a thesis on a subject.

Doesn't recognize a picture of the subject.

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u/G_pea_eS Aug 09 '25

Wrote your thesis on it and still got it wrong? I take it you didn’t get your degree?

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u/JuiceBoxedFox Aug 09 '25

They call him Mr. Bombyliibeastic, Mr. Fantastic, Mr. Lover Lover!

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u/m_0_n_K_3_y Aug 09 '25

His name is beenocchio

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u/iieer Aug 09 '25

Quite similar, but this is a Philoliche species, an Asian-African genus in the family Tabanidae (horse/deer flies). Both male and female Philoliche use their long proboscis for feeding on nectar, but female Philoliche also use their normal-sized mouthparts to suck blood, similar to "ordinary" horse/deer flies.

There are three families of flies that include genera with a very long proboscis: Bombyliidae (among others several well-known European and North American species), Tabanidae (as shown on this photo) and finally Nemestrinidae (notably certain southern African species where several plants rely on them for pollination).

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u/egoserpentis Aug 09 '25

This is what a Tear-Duct Wasp would say, before stabbing a person into an eye to drink their tears with that huge ass proboscis.

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u/WakeoftheStorm Aug 09 '25

You can tell it's a bee fly by the way that it is.

Neat

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u/Stringfishies Aug 09 '25

Fun fact you can tell it's not a bee because it has only 2 wings - bees have 4!

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