This woman keeps a ‘house trained’ pet BEE and even ‘cuddles’ it
Fiona Presly found her new pal while gardening and noticed it was missing its wings
A WOMAN has got people buzzing - by keeping a 'house trained' pet BEE in her home.
Library assistant Fiona Presly, from Inverness, rescued a buff-tailed bumblebee queen that had been born without wings.
After fondly naming the insect 'Bee', Fiona seemed to form a bond and would 'cuddle' her new pal.
Fiona said: "I found her when we were getting work done in the garden, and it was lucky I didn't stand on her.
"I put my hand down in front of her and she crawled onto it right away.
"I looked at her and thought 'something's not right here, she's got no wings'."
The pair became inseparable after Fiona made a makeshift garden and accepted Bee as her lodger.
Speaking to she continued: "She made sort of clicks, buzzy sounds when she was in close contact with me and was happy to sit and groom, eat, drink and sleep on my hand.
"We were both very comfortable with each other, and many people admired this bond. She was totally relaxed with me.
"People have a bond with their dog or cat and even their hamster. I think I've proved here that you can have a relationship with an insect."
Bee psychologist and professor of behavioural ecology at Queen Mary University of London, Lars Chittka, reached out to Fiona after hearing her tale.
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He said: "The desired state for a bumblebee queen is to be surrounded by other bees, therefore it seems plausible that such an individual should feel something rewarding from being surrounded by living beings.
"Also the queen might feel the opposite of that when alone, because this would signify it hadn’t succeeded in founding a colony."
Fiona has decided to keep a journal, logging details of her 'relationship' with the insect.
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