Carnivorous Plants
Carnivorous plants are plants that capture, kill, and digest animal organisms. Like all plants, carnivorous plants are capable of photosynthesis. Since they usually live in areas where the soil quality is poor, they must supplement their diet with nutrients gained from digesting animals. Like other flowering plants, carnivorous plants use tricks to entice insects. These plants have developed specialized leaves that work to lure and then trap unsuspecting insects.
There are several genera of carnivorous plants and hundreds of carnivorous plant species. Here are some of my favorite genera of carnivorous plants:
Flytraps - Dionaea muscipula
Dionaea muscipula, also known as the Venus flytrap, is probably the most well known of the carnivorous plants. Insects are lured into the mouth-like leaves by nectar. Once an insect enters the trap it touches tiny hairs on the leaves. This sends impulses through the plant triggering the leaves to close. Glands located in the leaves release enzymes that digest the prey and the nutrients are absorbed by the leaves. Flies, ants, and other bugs are not the only animals that the flytrap may snare.