Late spider-orchid

A member of the large family Orchidaceae, the late spider-orchid is a master of disguise and deception! With its labellum or lip (the biggest petal located at the bottom of the flower) which resembles an insect, it deceives bumble bees, even releasing a scent similar to that of the female bumble bee. Thinking they have come across a potential mate, the insects alight on it for a passionate interlude, deceived into believing that they are creating their own offspring! But in so doing, they are in fact ensuring the plant's reproduction. They fly away with pollinia (a mass of pollen grains) on their heads and succumb to the same deception on another plant, thus pollinating it.