As if being a dung beetle wasn’t hard already, researchers from the University of Cape Town have recently found that a plant called Ceratocaryum argenteum commonly fools them by dropping seeds that look like poop.

According to Discovery News, the South African Ceratocaryum argenteum, which looks like a grassy shrub, has evolved to produce seeds that look and smell like the droppings of antelope, a prime source of food for dung beetles who typically roll the feces into a ball and bury it for later consumption. This means that the plant is basically fooling the beetle into planting its seeds in a ball of fertilizer, which, in turn, generates another Ceratocaryum argenteum taking root.

The discovery marks one of the few times that researchers have found a “clever” plant that seemingly understands how to exploit its environment. Usually, the relationship between plants and animals is a give and take. For example, as Discovery News reports, some flowers emit scents that attract bees who help with pollination. Once the bees land on the plant, it eats some of the pollen and nectar and flies to the next flower. This process aids both creatures because it feeds the bee while helping flowers reproduce. The Ceratocaryum argenteum, on the other hand, offers no benefit to the dung beetle who cannot actually eat the seeds. Aw, poor dung beetle.

The team discovered the plant’s unique brand of trickery by studying the volatile chemicals it releases into the air. Upon investigation, the team found that the chemicals perfectly mimic the smell of local antelope dung. Hopefully, with more research, scientists will find out how the plant came to be such a con artist.

You can read more about the strange new findings over at Discovery News.