Carnivores: Leaf Me Alone!
Nature is not just beauty and butterflies. Some plants, such as the notorious Venus Flytrap, will wait for their unknowing prey, and choose the perfect moment to strike. However, the Venus Flytrap isn’t the only plant that consumes bugs. Here are a few examples of the amazing carnivorous plants that exist on our planet.
October 16, 2020
Pitcher Plant
There are many different species of Pitcher Plants, but they all have one thing in common: brightly colored, elongated pitchers with sweet nectar. According to Gardenerdy, Pitcher Plants have developed their own lures. Some species create irresistible scents to attract their prey. Once inside, the pitcher utilizes its slippery surface to make sure that escape is impossible for its prey.
Cape Sundews
Cape Sundews get their names from the adhesive on their vines that give the illusion of morning dew. Cape Sundews use their glands to produce sweet- smelling nectar to attract their prey. When the bug lands on the plant, a tentacle will immediately wrap around it, ensuring no escape. Cape Sundews use their sticky adhesive to keep the bug stuck onto it while the enzymes digest it.
Cobra Lily
The Cobra Lily is an illusionist. To capture their prey, they give off a sweet smelling aroma, right around it’s bulb entrance. According to Home Beautiful, the Cobra Lily’s bulb is covered with translucent specs. This gives off the illusion that the bug is not inside the plant, but rather on the outside. The bug will crawl down deeper inside the plant, thinking that it’s heading to an exit. Instead, the bug is actually walking its way down the throat of the Cobra Lily, where it will be broken down and digested.
Venus Flytrap
Potentially the most popular of these plants, Venus flytraps are incredibly fast. According to Live Science, these pants can snap shut in a tenth of a second. Since the trap has a red interior and a nectar smell, the bug is tricked into thinking that it has landed on a flower. The hairs used for sensing on the trap must be touched twice before it snaps shut. The first time a fly touches the hair, it sets off an electric signal. When it is touched a second time, a tiny bit of water is let out so that the water pressure holding the plant open is gone. The trap then is released, snapping shut onto the bug and securing its prey.
