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Abby Harveson Feature Writer 10/12/22 Many consider plants a harmless form of life. After all, all they do is sit around and mind their own business, right? However, some plants are carnivorous, meaning they eat meat just as other predators. The Venus flytrap, Pitcher plants, and Cape sundew, are just a few examples of these particular plants.
The Venus flytrap is native to the coasts of North and South Carolina. The plant gets its name from the Roman goddess of love, Venus, and the way in which it hunts prey. Green, protruding stems sprout from dirt and form into two half moon shapes with teeth shaped spikes on the sides. The unlucky insects who happen to fall for the trick land on an open faced leaf. Then, the sides fold together and the teeth like shapes keep the bug from escaping. From there, the plant breaks down the creature and ingests its nutrients. Usually, Venus flytraps eat around three to four insects a day as part of their diet. For the most part, the plant cannot catch a large amount of prey without getting too full easily. Pitcher plants come in several different species found in Australia, Madagascar, New Guinea, Southeast Asia, and Sri Lanka. The plants require a moist environment, such as a water garden, and they live in slightly acid soils. The shape of the plant fits the name as they come in orange, red, green, or even yellow shaded scoops of leaves. Although they also eat insects, Pitcher plants also eat much larger creatures. Larger animals such as frogs and mice, whatever will fit, who happen to fall into the tunnel, become unlucky victims. |
In bats’ echolocation patterns, Pitcher plants especially stick out. The bats are attracted to the plants and defecate into the plant. This then causes bugs to explore the certain smell of feces, and meet their doom.
South Africa’s sticky Cape sundew is a plant made to look as if a gentle rain had fallen upon its leaves. However, the shiny drops are not water, but a sticky substance. Rod-like, green, roots sprout from the ground. On each rod, thin, red, spikes stick to the side and on the spikes, deadly dew. Luckily, the Cape sundew’s favorite treat is the pesky mosquito. Cape sundew is a very usual plant many used as a medicine when the leaves are dried. From there, the leaves are boiled into water and turn into tea for helping breathing or throat issues. The plant is also non-toxic to pets, except for insects. Unlike the majority, certain plants may require different diets to survive and with their own unique ways of hunting. For them, the fatal fate of insects and other creatures is their next meal. Information from National Geographic and Live Science. |