Japan has abundant flora and large forests, and below we will introduce a small flower called Vincetoxicum nakaianum. This flower belongs to the Apocynaceae family and is a striking example of floral mimicry. Recently, following a study, Ko Mochizuki discovered that these plants have a scent that is identical to that of Formica ants, which, when injured, release compounds such as decyl acetate and methyl-6-methyl salicylate. It is curious how chloropid flies are attracted to this scent. Read on to learn more.
Vincetoxicum nakaianum: the flower you are about to know
In the Japanese forest, a tiny flower hides a story of deception. It is called Vincetoxicum nakaianum and belongs to the Apocynaceae family, the same as oleanders and bluebells. But unlike its relatives, this flower does not seduce with a sweet scent. Its strategy is more sinister: it gives off an odor that mimics that of injured ants.
The smell of injured ants is not just any smell. When attacked by a predator, these insects release a series of chemical compounds to alert others to the danger. The result is an intense, acrid aroma that signals that someone is dying. That is precisely the fragrance that this flower chose to copy.
Behind this oddity is Japanese researcher Ko Mochizuki, who discovered the phenomenon almost by accident. While working on another project, he noticed that small flies were persistently circling the flowers of V. nakaianum. This was unusual: chloropid flies, also known as “kleptoparasitic flies,” usually flock to places where other insects are injured or dead, not to flowers.
A discovery that began from nowhere
The discovery was the result of a combination of observation, intuition, and luck. Mochizuki, who was already familiar with the behavior of flies that feed on injured insects, suspected that there was something in the scent of those flowers that attracted them. So he began to compare the floral aroma with the odors emitted by different insects when attacked.
Chemical analyses confirmed his hypothesis. Among the substances that made up the floral perfume were five main compounds, but only two were essential for attracting flies: decyl acetate and methyl-6-methyl salicylate. These are the same molecules released by ants of the genus Formica when attacked by spiders.
To test this, the scientist designed behavioral experiments. He placed flies in a Y-shaped maze and observed where they went.
When they smelled flowers or injured ants, they chose the same path. When the smell came from flowers without those two molecules, they showed no interest. The result was clear: the flower had learned to speak the chemical language of pain.
A unique evolutionary strategy
In nature, mimicry is a common strategy: there are insects that look like leaves, snakes that mimic more poisonous ones, and flowers that copy the color of mushrooms. But never before has a plant been recorded that mimics the smell of injured ants. It is the first known case of floral mimicry based on the pain of another organism.
For the plant, this simulation makes evolutionary sense. Flies that are attracted to the smell of a dead ant do so not out of cruelty, but for food. They seek out the bodily fluids left behind by other predators. In their search, they fly in and out of flowers without realizing that they are carrying pollen on their bodies. It is an accidental but effective exchange.
Thus, Vincetoxicum nakaianum has turned a chemical tragedy into an opportunity. By posing as a hunting scene, it manages to attract just the pollinators it needs. The smell of death literally becomes the essence of life.
When curiosity guides science
The study also teaches us a lesson about how discoveries happen. Mochizuki wasn’t looking for a flower that smells like ants; it was curiosity that led him to take a closer look. His work shows that science sometimes advances thanks to details that others might overlook.
The researcher even relied on observations shared by amateurs on social media. There he found videos and photos of ants attacked by spiders, surrounded by flies waiting their turn to feed.
This evidence, collected informally, reinforced the hypothesis and served as a starting point for designing experiments.
Science also feeds on coincidences, and this finding proves it. From a casual observation came one of the most surprising pieces of evidence in recent evolutionary biology: that a flower can mimic the smell of a battle between insects to ensure its survival.
What’s next: the future of floral mimicry
The discovery of Vincetoxicum nakaianum raises new questions. If one plant managed to mimic ants, how many others could be doing something similar without us knowing?
Mochizuki plans to study the evolutionary history of this species and compare it with its relatives to understand how this precise ability arose.
He also wants to explore whether other plants use insect or predator odors to attract pollinators. In a world where smell is a universal language, nature seems to have developed a catalog of scents capable of manipulating almost any creature.
This study reminds us that evolutionary ingenuity knows no bounds. What may be an unpleasant or disturbing smell to us may mean food to a fly and the possibility of reproduction to a flower. In nature, even the smell of death can blossom.
