Plants That Eat Bugs

True to its name, the Venus Flytrap looks like it came from another planet, and it eats bugs. It may seem alien, but carnivorous plants are surprisingly common. There are 750 species, living on every continent but Antarctica. They exist wherever the soil can’t provide all the nutrients that plants need. So they look to other sources—often insects. The Venus Flytrap is the most well-known. Its “jaws” stand open until an unsuspecting fly touches hairs within for several seconds. That triggers an electrical impulse and the jaws snap shut. Then enzymes slowly digest the prey. The Sundew has tentacles with glistening drops on the ends that look like nectar. But insects that land to partake find they’re actually sticky digestive fluid. The Sundew’s tentacles wrap around the bug and feast. The Pitcher Plant looks like its namesake, with a smell that attracts insects. But if they crawl inside, the walls are too slippery to escape. Waiting at the bottom: more digestive enzymes that will melt them alive. And if that’s not gross enough… the ‘toilet plant’ looks like its namesake. It produces a sweet nectar to lure rodents or bats. When they come to drink, extended beneath them is a bowl to catch whatever they excrete. The plant gets all its nitrogen and other minerals from animal droppings. So, if you think eating bugs is unappetizing, well, it could be worse.