What if I told you there’s a flower out there that lures flies by pretending to be an ant in distress? Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right? But this is real, and it’s happening right now in the wilds of Japan.

In a mind-blowing twist from the world of botany, Ko Mochizuki from the University of Tokyo has uncovered a previously unknown trick in nature’s playbook: the plant Vincetoxicum nakaianum has evolved to mimic the scent of ants being attacked by spiders. Why? To attract hungry flies that feast on injured insects—flies that unknowingly pollinate the flowers as they search for a snack. Welcome to perhaps the most cunning case of floral deception you’ve never heard of.

This isn’t just any plant. Vincetoxicum nakaianum, part of the dogbane family and only recently described by Mochizuki and his colleagues, has pulled off an evolutionary stunt never seen before: it’s the first documented case of a plant mimicking the smell of ants—turning the very concept of flower mimicry on its head. Until now, scientists had seen plants copy the look or scent of rotting meat, dung, or even dead animals to attract pollinators, but imitating the alarmed, panicked scent of an ant under attack? That’s a whole new level of biological espionage.

So, how did Mochizuki crack the case? The discovery was pure serendipity. While working on a completely different project, he noticed clouds of tiny grass flies swarming around V. nakaianum flowers at the Koishikawa Botanical Gardens. Curious, he recalled a past training session that had taught him about these fly species, and a lightbulb went off. Could these flowers be imitating dying ants to attract flies?

Mochizuki dug deeper. He compared the odor molecules emitted by the plant’s flowers to those released by various insects. The closest match? The scent of ants being attacked by spiders. That’s the calling card for kleptoparasitic flies—those that steal meals from predators—that are always on the prowl for an easy score. But no one had ever officially documented flies targeting ants picked off by other creatures, so Mochizuki took his search to social media. There, he unearthed a treasure trove of amateur nature footage and reports—dozens of postings where flies swooped in after ants fell victim to spiders.

With enough evidence, Mochizuki ran behavioral tests and confirmed it: the flies really do prefer the ‘ant-under-attack’ aroma. In his own words, when he saw the flies crowding the flowers, it was a eureka moment—proof that scientific breakthroughs can come from a magical blend of preparation, open curiosity, and pure luck.

Now, with one of the most unexpected discoveries in the field of plant mimicry on his hands, Mochizuki is already plotting his next adventure. He wants to dig deeper into the evolutionary history of ant mimicry, comparing Vincetoxicum nakaianum with its relatives and seeking out even more bizarre forms of plant deception hiding in plain sight. If this hidden world is anything to go by, there are probably plenty more strange, sneaky plants out there just waiting to be discovered—and you can bet the next AI generated newscast about plant mimicry will have even wilder stories to share.

It’s official: the natural world is a whole lot sneakier—and smarter—than we ever imagined. Stay tuned for the next AI generated newscast about this wild kingdom of plant trickery.