How Do Carnivorous Plants Trap Food?

What drives a Venus fly trap or Sarracenia plant to murder, and how do they commit their dastardly crimes? If you're a fly, insect, or small mammal, you might not want to read on.

A beginning with bite

Once upon a time, these plants struggled for nourishment in environments that lacked essential nutrients, like swamps and jungles. Without a shop nearby (and twisted by hanger) carnivorous plants developed ways to trap and kill prey.

How do carnivorous plants trap food?

Through one of five methods: adhesive, pitfall, lobster pot, snap and suction – and carnivorous plants mastered their craft.

How do carnivorousplants trap food?

Through one of five methods: adhesive, pitfall, lobster pot, snap and suction – and carnivorous plants mastered their craft.

1/5

Pitcher plant– Pitfall princess

Shaped suspiciously like the Pokemon Victreebell, the biggest pitchers can hold up to 3.5 litres. Tie that together with its sweet smell and slippery, juice-lined walls, and any prey that enters will likely fall to its doom.

2/5

Venus fly trap– Snap legend

Venus is the perfect landing pad for a friendly lil' fly… if you're in and out quickly. But those that linger too long trigger the tiny hairs of the snap trap, which closes in the blink of an eye. Once trapped, guests can expect 5–7 days of slow digestion in a watertight prison with no escape.

3/5

Corkscrew plant– Lobster pot predator

Although this sounds like the name of a thrilling rollercoaster, the corkscrew's prey moves in only one direction. Why? The corkscrew's porous underground roots and leaves let bugs in but not out. Once inside (easy enough), labyrinth-like tunnels lined with inward-facing hairs forcefully escort visitors into the belly of the beast for prompt digestion. Those who try to leave will be stuck.

4/5

Bladderwort– Suction expert

Tiny, hollow sacs, called bladders, bob on the water's surface until innocent larvae, worms and fleas trigger their sensitive, alarm-like hairs. The sacs open like trap doors, and Whoosh!, in comes water and a helpless swimmer.

5/5

Sundew– Adhesive kween

With tentacled leaves glistening in the sunshine, it's easy to see where the sundew gets its name. At first glance, it seems harmless, but these wondrous wands lure prey into their embrace and trap them with sticky hairs. Once the sundew detects food, its leaves curl inwards, engulfing the visitor and digesting it between 24-48 hours.