Insectivorous plants trap insects and arachnids and digest them for nutrients; an unusual behavior for a plant. Species of insectivorous plants include the Venus flytrap, some varieties of pitcher plants, butterworts, and sundews. These plants often grow in areas where there is little nitrogen in the soil, compensating through the consumption of insects. Some creatures consumed by carnivorous plants include spiders, flies, caterpillars, crickets, and slugs.
The Venus flytrap is the best-known among insectivorous plants, recognized far and wide for its unique appearance and teeth-like spikes. A Venus flytrap, which got its name from the seductive Greek goddess of love, lures insects into its jaws with a sweet nectar. This nectar is a variant of the same nectar that many other plants use to lure bees for assisting in pollination. When the hapless insect makes its way into the jaws of the flytrap, it stimulates delicate trigger hairs, causing the trap to close in less than 100 milliseconds. The Venus flytrap is a rare member of the class of plants with the ability to move rapidly. Its natural habitat are the bogs around the Carolinas, extremely wet, insect-infested areas.
Less familiar insectivorous plants include the pitcher plant, a plant with pitcher-shaped leaves. The pitcher plant uses sweet aromas to attract insects, which then slip into the pitcher. The inside of the pitcher has hairs pointing downwards, making it impossible for insects to climb back out. At the bottom of the pitcher plant is a pool of water which serves to drown captured insects. The insect is then converted into soluble nutrients through a process of natural decay and the digestive action of enzymes.
A third species of insectivorous plants are the butterworts; star-shaped succulent plants that trap insects with mucus. This is the most common species of carnivorous plant, being found in Asia, Europe, and North America. Individual leaves have the capability of wrapping around trapped prey, suffocating it and speeding the digestive process. The plant continuously excretes mucus beads over its surface, ensuring that any insect unfortunate enough to wander onto it will be trapped.
Insectivorous plants are popular with plant-lovers, being found in plant shops throughout the world. These plants, especially the Venus flytrap, have captured the public imagination. A number of legends exist that speak of larger insectivorous plants, some even capable of eating mammals, though these legends are without evidential basis.
