Daisy tricks male flies into mating with it

For decades, scientists have been studying a South African daisy’s (Gorteria diffusa) deceptive way to attract pollen. It uses its petals to trick male flies into believing the flower is actually a female fly. When a male insect approaches the flower, it jiggles around trying to mate, and typically buzzes off after a few unsuccessful attempts, leaving pollen behind.

In a study published March 23 in the journal Current Biology, scientists have identified three sets of genes that help build the fake fly appearance on the daisy’s petals. To determine what these genes do, the…