November 01, 2006

Dupe

Deceived by physical and chemical cues, the wasp Campsoscolia ciliata tries to mate with the orchid Ophrys speculum. The labellium, or lower lip, of the flower has roughly the size, shape, and fuzziness of a female wasp; male wasps apparently cannot distinguish between them. As a result the orchid is pollinated by wasps that visit one flower after another searching for a mate.

D'oh.

Only halfway through mid-terms. Darn...