So.. when you say edible.. how many times can I eat it? Once? Twice? Everything is edible at least once so I just need to know..
"meat honey"
The vulture bee is sometimes said to produce a so-called "meat honey", but this is a misnomer resulting from scientific uncertainty, due to historic confusion of multiple species, each with a slightly different method of processing.
In one detailed study of Trigona hypogea in Brazil, the vulture bees mixed sugary plant products with a proteinaceous paste from regurgitated meat, and let it mature to form a sweet substance that was used as food; however, the two resources were initially kept in separate "pots" in the colony, neither being true honey (i.e., not derived from nectar), but they were then mixed together.
In a different study of Trigona necrophaga in Panama, the bees gathered nectar and produced honey, and they also produced a glandular secretion, derived from carrion, partially metabolized, used as a protein source, and kept completely separate from the honey. In neither case were the bees mixing meat-based substances with floral-derived substances.
Vulture bees usually enter the carcass through the eyes. They will then root around inside gathering the meat suitable for their needs.
There needs to be metal band called Vulture Bees, this is too metal.
Not exactly what you meant, but the first thing that came to mind
https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Earth/The_Bees_Made_Honey_in_the_Lion's_Skull/178274
On bed of mottled rocks
Amid flowers cold as ice
Pray the weak, the old, the poor
And when the tiny one from Heaven comes
Crawls inside the chosen skull
And when the tiny one it summons the others
To crawl inside the chosen skull
They build their castles in the heads of kings
Bring life to the empty halls
They build their castles in the heads of kings
And honey will flow once more
Once more
In one detailed study of Trigona hypogea in Brazil, the vulture bees mixed sugary plant products with a proteinaceous paste from regurgitated meat, and let it mature to form a sweet substance that was used as food; however, the two resources were initially kept in separate "pots" in the colony, neither being true honey (i.e., not derived from nectar), but they were then mixed together.
So it's not incorporated in the honey. They have a separate protein stache.
A protein stache would be part of a meat beard.
I'll keep the typo up because of this <3
Fascinating. It's worth mentioning that (normal) honey can be used to preserve meat, thanks to its antimicrobial and hydrophilic properties. I guess that's what's going on here too: they use a kind of nectar honey to keep the meat component from going off. That said, this kind of food preservation isn't immune to botulism so do be careful if you try this.
Now I'm wondering when/how this behavior evolved. Did these guys come first, and honeybees figured out how to eat pollen as a protein source as an evolutionary step, the other way around, or separately at the same time from some parent species?
I just came into the comments to post that. Thank you!
Using their extra-toothed mandible, they will slice and chew the flesh off, coating the meat in their acid-rich saliva before consumption. The bee will transport the chewed carrion back to the colony where it’s regurgitated into wax pots, different from the honey pots.
Here, the meat will be mixed with honey and left to mature over a period of 14 days. During this curing time, it will become a paste-like substance that is rich in free amino acids and sugars. This paste is fed to their young, who need it to grow.
So basically a potted meat but with sugar instead of fat. Apparently they also keep normal honey that's separate from the meat honey. Bees are so fucking cool.
Nature does depravity.
Humans: "Is it edible?"
While I would agree on the surface, it's not really depravity. We've got to do away with rotting meat somehow. Hence why vultures are so important.
Still upvoted though.
Have you ever thought about blue cheese？
"Let's try drinking the milk from an animal"
"Oh, it's kinda gross and solid ish now. Still tastes good though"
"Oh wait, it's gone really mouldy. Let's slap it on some chicken wings"
Animal cheese connoisseurs be like: Our food culture grew by one diarrhoea at a time.
People learning about mushrooms: This one tastes like beef, this one killed bob instantly, and that one made me see god for 2 weeks
IRL Zerg home base
We require more Vespene gas
As vulture bee honey is derived from animal flesh, it is not suitable for vegetarians.
Phew that's good to know! Nearly gourged myself on some corpse honey
Honey produced by vulture bees is a pleasant tasting and sweet smelling honey-like liquid.
It's strange that it doesn't taste like rotten flesh.
No thanks, I'm good.
No good, I'm thanks, dad
What
That hive looks like I'm not high enough level to fight whatever is in there.
a smoky, salty, and savory taste rather than being sweet https://beezzit.com/blogs/news/meat-honey-the-strange-secret-of-vulture-bees
From the entomologic side: this is so interesting, thanks for sharing.
From the Mothership RPG DM side: this is so useful, thanks for sharing.
This one probably needs a NSFW filter, for "I was eating" reasons 😅
NSFE
NSFF Not Safe For Food
Well, I know what my players are facing next time they venture into the Underdark...
Are they facing the person who decided to test the edibility of the corpse nest?
Now that you mention it, hell yes they are!
I would not want the honey from Resident Evil anywhere near my breakfast.
So busy with "could" didn't worry with "should"
Ok, as I understood it, there is "edible honey" that is really plant-based, and "carrion meat-based protein storage" that kind of works like pollen storage in honeybees nest. TBH, I find pollen more nutritional and tasty than honey. And I know that honey bees are opportunistic carnivores too. These things kind of come together in a story better left untold.
Alright. I would. Gimme the goo.
Or would I contract a prion from it?
Another one to add to the list when someone claims intelligent design. Approached from evolution, this makes sense - what works becomes a thing. And while it's disgusting to us, it's just a process and they're doing their part to help the cycle. From an ID pov... what the living fuck?
There's a whole raft of things that are technically edible, that I want nowhere near my mouth. Add this to the list.
when i hear couples calling each other honey, this is what i will picture in my head
Okay this might be more disgusting than the rotten Sardinian maggot cheese, even though the maggots can jump
That means someone tried it out
Lovecraftian horror.
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