Plants That Feeds On Insects (Part Two)

Pitfall Plants

They are water bodies collected or secreted into specialized containers, and ultimately held by plants for various reasons such as in particular, the trapping and digestion of prey. The simplest ones are the marsh
pitcher plants. Preys simply want down the 'containers' without realizing it's dangers, they get stuck in it as the leaves rolls and cover up it's prey. It opens when the prey is digested.

Snap Traps Plants

The only two active snaps traps- (Venus flytrap and the Waterwheel plant)- are believed to have had a common ancestor with similar adaptations. Their trapping mechanism has also been described as a 'mouse trap', 'bear trap', or 'man trap', based on their shape and rapid movement. The traps are very similar, with leaves whose terminal section is divided into two lobes, hinged along the mid-rib. Trigger hairs (three on each lobe in Venus flytrap, many more in case of Waterwheel) inside the trap lobes are sensitive to touch. When a trigger is bent, changes in the shape of cells in the midrib allow the lobes, held under tension, to snap shut, flipping rapidly from convex to concave and interring the prey.

Fly Paper Traps

The sundew consist of about 194 species of active flypapers who bear mucous glands at the end of long tentacles, which frequently grow fast enough in response to prey to aid the trapping process. Sundews are characterized by the glandular tentacles, topped with sticky secretions, that cover their leaf. The trapping and digestion mechanism usually employs two types of glands: stalked glands that secrete sweet mucilage to attract and ensnare insect and enzymes to digest them, and that absorb the resulting nutrients soup. Small prey, mainly consisting of insects, are attracted by the sweet secretions of the glands. Upon touching these, the prey become entrapped by sticky mucilage which prevents their progress or escape. Eventually, the prey either succumb to death through exhaustion or through asphyxiation as the mucilage envelops them and clogs their spiracles. Death usually occurs within 15 minutes or less.

The Albany Pitcher Plant

The Albany Pitcher plant looks like a jug, with a lid on the top. colourful and flashy, this carnivorous plant lies close to the ground, the leaves are small and have the appearance of a moccasin (a type of footwear). The pitcher develop a dark red colour in high light levels but stay green in shadier conditions. The peristome at the entrance of the trap has a spiked arrangement carving inwards that allows the prey to enter, but hinders it's escape. The lid over the entrance prevents rainwater entering the pitcher and thus diluting the digestive enzymes inside. Insects trapped in this digestive fluid are consumed by the plant.

Waterwheel Plant

Waterwheel plant is a member of ht sundew family. It is a water-plant that traps and digest aquatic insects. Its leaves face outwards from the stem and snap shut on small water animals that trigger the long, sensitive hairs surrounding each leaf. The plants floats below the water's surface, and can be seen caught on underwater vegetation. It has stems 5-20 cm long, with whorls of 5-9 reddish-coloured leaves. The small, white or pinkish flowers emerge from the water, but the fruit capsules are held underwater. The species is more commonly found in northern Australia and tropical regions of Asia and Africa.

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