5 Key Takeaways

• 1

  Blister beetle larvae emit volatile compounds resembling floral scents to attract bees for nest access.

• 2

  This study reports the first known instance of an animal chemically mimicking floral scents to manipulate pollinators.

• 3

  The larvae of Meloe proscarabaeus depend on solitary bees for transport to their nests, where they consume the bee's egg.

• 4

  Researchers identified monoterpenoid volatiles, including (S)-linalool, emitted by larvae, matching floral scent stereochemistry.

• 5

  Cytochrome P450 enzymes in larvae are responsible for producing these floral-scent volatiles, indicating a novel role in insect ecology.