Myrmecia urens

Behaviour and ecology

While pollination by ants is somewhat rare, the orchid Leporella fimbriata is a myrmecophyte which can only be pollinated by the winged males of this species. Pollination of this orchid usually occurs between April and June during warm afternoons, and may take several days until the males all die due to their limited lifespan. The flower mimics M. urens queens, and so the males move from flower to flower in an attempt to copulate with it.