Carnivorous Plants

Carnivorous Plants Carnivorous Plants  If an animal eats a plant, it is of no particular interest; but when a plant eats an animal, that is of  interest. The fact that there are few flesh-eating plants make them fascinating and interesting to everyone.

The Venus Fly Trap The Venus Fly Trap is the most well known species of carnivorous plants.

These insectivorous plants lure their prey using a sweet smelling nectar. When an insect lands on the head of the fly trap, they seek the source of the nectar, and if the plant is lucky, it will touch one of the many trigger hairs located within the jaws of the trap.

Once triggered, the trap snaps closed, trapping the victim.

The plant then secretes an enzyme which essentially 'dissolves' the insect, turning it into a digestible dinner.

After a few days, the fly trap will re-open, to await it's next victim After a few days, the fly trap will re-open, to await it's next victim. Yummmmm!

Is this cricket taking a nap????

Pitcher Plant or Fly Catcher

The inner part of these beautiful pitchers are covered with stiff hairs and are half-filled with a liquid.

The insects are attracted by the beautiful flower and the sweet fluid The insects are attracted  by the beautiful flower and the sweet fluid.  The hairs on the  inner surface of the pitcher allow the insect to travel down but they prevent its traveling upward and out. 

Therefore it continues downward into the fluid where it drowns Therefore it continues downward into the fluid where it drowns. The plant absorbs the soft parts of the  body and the skeleton  remains in the bottom of the pitcher.

Pitcher plants are often found with many skeletons hidden inside.

Look inside a pitcher plant!

What do you see?

These are the parts the pitcher plant doesn’t eat.

Do you recognize any of the parts that are left?

Take a look inside of the pitcher plant.

Pitcher plants in North America live almost exclusively in bogs, wet meadows, or pine savannahs, and wetlands.

Sun Dew

 Small insects, such as gnats are attracted by the beautiful dew-like substance on the leaves of this plant.

Once they have come  in  contact with this sticky substance, however, they cannot escape.

After a short time the leaf slowly folds, completely  encloses the insect and digests its body.

Bladderwort  In the springtime the prairies are carpeted in the  yellow flower of the bladderwort. This plant lives in shallow waters and  swamps of the Southeast. The leaves have small air sacs or bladders in which minute water creatures such as larvae,  nematodes, water  fleas, protozoa, and small worms are trapped. 

Each bladder has a small opening through which the tiny animal can enter but cannot escape.

Each bladder has a small opening through which the tiny animal can enter but cannot escape. Eventually the trapped  organisms die and their bodies decompose  forming the nitrogenous food for the bladderwort.

Sites for Kids on Carnivorous Plants Carnivorous Plants PPTs Great Site for Kids Carnivorous Plants Great pictures Chomp! Meat-Eating Plants Plants for Kids Venus Flytrap and other Weird Plants Facts About Carnivarous Plants Plants: Carnivorous The Carnivorous Plants Website

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