Be eaten behind bars

The Venus Flytrap (Dionaea) is the most spectacular of the meat eating plants. The leaves of this carnivore consist of two parts that can close. When an insect or small spider is touching the tactile hairs when eating from the nectar present on the leaf surface, the folding mechanism is activated. The two parts of the leaf will close within the blink of an eye. ‘Bars’ prevent the victim from escaping. However, the plant cannot be fooled. To be sure that the prey is present, it must touch the six tactile hairs of the leaf twice. When touched once, the leaves will not close.

Venus Flytrap

The microscopic photo shows the glands that are on the inside of the leaf. These glands secrete the fluid that serves to digest the prey

Prepared slide by Lieder

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