The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), is a carnivorous plant.
The leaves of Venus’ Flytrap have short, stiff hairs called trigger or sensitive hairs. When anything touches these hairs enough to bend them, the two lobes of the leaves snap shut in less than a second, trapping whatever is inside.
Read & Learn:
http://botany.org/bsa/misc/carn.html
Watch:
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/life/videos/venus-flytrap-catches-flies/
#botanics #venusflytrap
My brother and I had Venus Flytraps when we were kids. They were cool! 😎
ReplyDeleteNot only a cool gif, but catching one of my least favorite insects, the yellow jacket wasp. They've got nasty attitude!
ReplyDeleteSmartly evolved plants too.
ReplyDeleteIn order for the plant to conserve energy, prey has to hit a trigger hair twice within a few seconds to trip the trap, and then again once inside or the plant will not release its digestive juices and will eventually reopen.
The speed of the trap is accomplished by flipping the curved shape of the leaves, sort of like one of those plastic poppers kids play with that can hit the ceiling when you invert their shape and place them on the floor.