When it comes to survival, the cage fungus has some extra sneaky tricks up its sleeve. This fungus fakes its own death to attract flies and spread its spores across the land. Even at the prime of its life, the cage fungus unleashes a putrid odor. The video states that when it plays dead it "smells like a basket made of decaying flesh". Despite this, I think there is something beautiful and alien-like about the way this fungus looks.
From YouTube:
"The cage fungus looks and smells like decaying meat — on purpose. Its goopy lattice gives off a rotten odor that attracts flies, which help spread its spores far and wide. It's like a bee to a flower, but way more macabre and putrid. …
"It reeks of death," says Tighe. "If you get up close to it, there are these sharp notes that hit your nose that just make you recoil immediately."
Flies that normally feed on stinky things like carrion and feces are drawn to the smell. They lap up the gleba, inadvertently downing millions of the spores and spreading them far and wide.
