| abstract | - The Sun Bee, or Helioanus burnupus, is an extinct species of bee. They were unique among insects for possessing antennae on their lower abdomen. When experiencing a primitive sense of pleasure, the small creatures would rub these rear antennae together very quickly to produce yellow sparks. Contrary to a common myth, the pink-spark producing queens each bred with only one carefully selected male, and thus were not flaming homosexuals. By sparking in groups, the bees were responsible for most of the fires of 10,000 years ago. These blazes resulted in the extinction of the mastodon, the saber-toothed tiger, and Neanderthal man and woman. Contrary to another myth, the insect's bright self-abdominal rubbing did not lead to blindness. Instead, it led to the species' self-extinction.
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