November 2000
Did you know how
Flytraps Catch Insects?
DIONAEA MUSCIPULA
Insects are trapped and digested by the
plant to obtain nutrients. Surprisingly, Daddy-longlegs often fall prey to the clever
trap. They really do snap shut. There are six small trigger hairs inside each
trap, three
on each side. One hair touched twice, or two hairs touched once, signals the trap to
close. Digestive enzymes, produced by the plant, melt the soft parts of the insect into a
kind of liquid fertilizer. Empty traps reopen in a day or so. Traps with prey remain
closed for a week or two. Then, the trap will reopen exposing the dry shell of the
victim.
Flytraps do not need regular feeding and can go long periods without
insects. If you are
growing them in a condition where no insects can get caught, such as a
terrarium, feeding
one trap a small insect every couple months is probably beneficial.
|
|
|
The Venus's
Flytrap, Dionaea muscipula
|
source:
http://www.ct.net/~crvny/sa03005.html
http://www.pitcherplant.com/Carnivorous/
carnivorous.venus.flytrap.html
|
