First-of-its-kind flower smells like dead insects to imprison 'coffin flies'

(Frontiers) Plant researchers found that the herb Aristolochia microstoma from Greece has evolved a novel strategy, unknown in any other plant species, to attract pollinating Megaselia 'coffin flies' to its trap flowers: it produces a unique mix of volatiles that resembles the smell of dead and decomposing insects. The new study is published by the open access publisher Frontiers.

Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - May 21, 2021 Category: Biology Source Type: news