Insect-eating plants are called insectivorous plants and they derive nutrition by consuming insects and likewise other organisms. There are over 750 individual species of carnivorous plants worldwide. Insectivorous plants are photosynthetic plants living in nutrition poor environments that lack insufficient nitrogen and then evolved to supplement themselves by trapping and eating animal flesh like that of insects. Therefore, they are called carnivorous plants.
Examples of Insectivorous Plants
An insect-eating plant example include- the Venus flytrap. Its book-like leaves emit a sweet smell and are divided into two lobes and small trigger hairs are present on the lobes. These are sensitive to touch; when these are bent with the landing of an insect-like fly, ion channels at the base of the hair open and generate electrochemical signals which then change cells in the midrib and allow the lobes to shut. Therefore, when insects come near the lobes, they are trapped inside the plant between the two lobes. The right size insect is then captured, the finger-like cilia form a seal and are digested inside.
Other insectivorous plants examples include Venus flytrap, bladderwort, cobra lily, drosera or sundews and pitcher plant. Pitcher plants belong to large carnivorous plants and have modified leaves acting as pitfall traps that have sugary nectar and make insects fall via slippery surfaces into digestive juices. All of these leafy creatures eat everything from insects, to crustaceans to small rodents, to mammals. Sundews have leaves covered in delicate and wispy hairs with a tiny drop of liquid at the end. Insects fall trap to this tasty nectar juice but the fact is that dewdrops are sticky to trap the bug.
Characteristics of Insectivorous Plants
Certain important characteristics of insectivorous plants are briefly described in the following points-
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Nitrogen Deficiency- Insectivorous plants are found in nitrogen lacking places and thus face a lack of nutrients. As a result, they have evolved as insect trapping or eating plants that enable them to absorb the necessary nutrients through their leaf structures.
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Attractive Nectars- Insectivorous plants appear shiny and are colorful; some of these have a sweet or pleasant odor and flavored nectars by which insects get easily attracted. Thus, when insects approach the plants, they are trapped and digested by the plants with the help of their juices or enzymes.
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No Escape- There are no chances of escaping for the insects if they fit rightly for the leaves of the insectivorous plants. Some smaller insects sometimes can get out through traps. The mouth of the plants has hair lined edges that help to shut the lobes of the leaves trapping the insect inside. Most of the insects are not at all able to escape when they touch the hair and the flap opens. Some plants have sticky mucus in them that makes an insect immovable.
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Life on Wet and Damp Places- Insectivorous plants exist that are found in damp, humid, wet and acidic soil that is deficient in nutrients. Such places include swaps, coastal plains, bogs, wetlands, etc. Most of these plants are found in the regions of Australia, tropical places and North America.
Pictures of Insectivorous Plants
Below are the pictures of some of the popular insectivorous plants. Anyone can get an idea of how to draw pitcher plants or any other insectivorous plant.
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Varieties of Traps in Insectivorous Plants
With changing insectivorous plant names, we can find different types of traps present in them. There are numerous types of insectivorous plants and each individual species has specific characteristics and may comprise one of the following traps to snap an insect.
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How does a pitcher plant trap insects? Pitfall traps are found in a pitcher plant and are composed of a hollow leaf life structure with a lid that is filled with liquid inside to digest the prey.
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How does a Venus Flytrap digest insects? The type of trap present in venus flytrap is a snap trap that shuts its leaves rapidly when the prey touches the trigger hair.
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Bladderwort traps – Bladder-like traps are found in Uticulara and are hollow underwater structures having a flexible door or valve that is normally kept closed. When a hapless animal swims near the plant, the trap opens and traps it inside. It takes place very quickly and thus is a remarkable aquatic carnivore plant.
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Flypaper traps – Utilizing mucilage or sticky glue, certain insectivorous plants trap their prey. Mucilage-secreting glands are studded in the plant leaves and can be releasing some fragrance.
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Lobster-pot trapping plants – Corkscrew plants consist of these kinds of traps where they possess downward-pointing hair pushing the prey deep inside the trap.
Carnivorous plants occur in bogs where only a few plants grow and are not just limited to the animal kingdom. By digesting and trapping the insects they compensate for the nutrient-starved, harsh environment. Nature would be terminally and balanced without carnivores.