A jackal fly feeding on “pretend blood” secreted by a Ceropegia gerrardii flower
Annemarie Heiduk
A uncommon South African plant produces a fluid and scent that mimic honeybee blood to entice scavenging jackal flies to pollinate its flowers.
Jackal flies from the genus Desmometopa ordinarily feed on the blood of bugs, particularly honeybees, which have been killed by spiders and praying mantises. They’re alerted to the presence of a free meal by the odor of spilt bee blood, or haemolymph.
Annemarie Heiduk on the College of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa …