These baby beetles work together to lookand smelllike flowers

"The larvae attract bees by emitting a collection of 17 scented compounds often found in flowers, including linalool oxide and lilac aldehyde. Once a larva has been airlifted to a bee's nest, it feeds on the bees' eggs and supplies of pollen and nectar."

"The study presents a convincing case that the beetle larvae are mimicking flowers chemically, and perhaps visually, so as to deceive and attract bees."

"Animals such as the orchid mantis mimic the look of flowers, and the corpse flower emits a smell like rotting meat to attract insects, but these beetles add a new strategy to the mimicry playbook."

European blister beetle larvae lay thousands of eggs in spring. The bright-orange larvae emit floral scents to attract solitary bees. Researchers identified 17 scented compounds, including linalool oxide and lilac aldehyde, that mimic flowers. Once attached to a bee, the larvae are transported to nests where they feed on eggs and pollen. This behavior represents a unique chemical mimicry strategy among animals, enhancing their survival and reproductive success. The study suggests that these larvae may also attract other larvae to form aggregations.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com