attract like bees to honeypot

[alpacinou]

Hello,

I want to know how common this expression is:

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/like-bees-to-round-a-honeypot

I know it's a bit old-fashioned, but imagine you are a party and say something like this:

That guy is really handsome. He attracts girls like bees to a honeypot.

Would that be weird for people to hear?

 

[GoesStation]

I haven't heard it much in American English. Like bees to honey is, I think, fairly common.

 

[alpacinou]

I haven't heard it much in American English. Like bees to honey is, I think, fairly common.

Is this okay and native-like?

That guy is really handsome. He attracts girls like bees to a honey.

 

[emsr2d2]

You need to swap the start of the second sentence round.

Girls are attracted to him like bees to honey.

 

[alpacinou]

Girls are attracted to him like bees to honey.

Do natives say that?

 

[emsr2d2]

They might. I've never said it but someone somewhere probably has.

 

[GoesStation]

Is this okay and native-like?

That guy is really handsome. He attracts girls like bees to a honey.

Is "honey" countable?

Emsr2d2's suggestion fixes another problem in your sentence. Can you see what it is?

 

[alpacinou]

Is "honey" countable?

Emsr2d2's suggestion fixes another problem in your sentence. Can you see what it is?

Actually I copy pasted the previous sentence and removed "pot" at the end but that a was a slip. I know it's wrong.

Yes I see that mistake now. Since the second clause says bees to honey, I should have made the sentence passive. Girls are attracted to him like bees are attracted to honey. He attracts like bees doesn't make sense.