Image Credit: Derek Parker
Flesh-flies (Calliphoridae) – carrion feeders. Throughout the world, there are occasional plants that seem to emit amino-laden scents that resemble decaying flesh. In Oregon, only fetid adder’s tongue (Scoliopus) has been assumed to attract pollinators in this manner; I have seen a stand of adder’s tongue in a Forest Service campground attract calliphorids, but all the individuals were of introduced somewhat pestilential species (i.e., not relevant to pre-1800 conditions). A number of flesh-flies are observed on “normal” dish-shaped flowers in meadows, but never in quantities that would imply significance for actual pollination.
A typical short-tongued metallic flesh-fly.