A recently described Japanese plant, Vincetoxicum nakaianum, has stunned scientists by pulling off an unusual trick—it smells like dying ants. The plant uses this scent to lure flies, which in turn become accidental pollinators.
Ko Mochizuki of the University of Tokyo, who first documented the species in 2024, made the discovery while observing flies clustering around its flowers. He later confirmed that the odor released by the blooms closely mimics the smell of ants under attack by spiders. This marks the first recorded case of a plant using ant odor mimicry to attract pollinators, broadening the known range of floral deception.
“I was working on another research project,” Mochizuki explains, “and originally collected this species only as a ‘reference’ for comparison. By chance, I noticed chloropid flies gathering around its flowers in the nursery in the Koishikawa Botanical Gardens, and immediately realized that the flowers might be imitating dead insects.”
Further investigation revealed that chloropid flies are naturally drawn to injured ants because they scavenge them as food. By copying this chemical cue, the flowers trick the flies into visiting, ensuring pollination while offering no real reward. Mochizuki verified this unusual relationship by comparing the plant’s scent profile with insect odors, finding the closest match to spiders’ injured ant prey.
This serendipitous discovery highlights how complex and unexpected plant-pollinator interactions can be. Mochizuki notes, “That moment, when I saw the flies on the flowers, was truly one of inspiration—a hypothesis suddenly taking shape.
”Looking ahead, he plans to explore whether other plants also exploit similar mimicry strategies, suggesting that many hidden examples of floral deception may still await discovery.
This Strange Flower Smells Like Dying Ants—And Flies Can’t Stay Away
