Beetle Larvae Mimic Floral Scents to Hijack Bees, Study Finds

A new study shows that larvae of the European black oil beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus) lure bees by producing floral monoterpenoids that mimic the scent of flowers. The larvae gather on plant tips, attract bees, and then ride them into the bees’ burrows where they consume eggs and pollen before maturing into adult beetles. This is the first documented case of an animal hijacking floral odors to parasitize another species. Researchers synthesized the compounds and confirmed bee attraction in the field, but have not yet identified a specific flower that matches the larvae’s scent profile. The team is now working to pinpoint the exact floral source—willow flowers are a candidate—and to evaluate how this interaction affects local pollinator dynamics.