Venus Flytrap: An Interesting Plant

Yesterday, I was teaching response in plants and when I teach plant responses we talk about the most classic example of thigmotropism which is a Venus Flytrap plant. There are other examples of thigmotropism as well but this one is the most interesting and my student love to learn about it.

What is Thigmotropism?

Plants response to external stimuli or change in the environment such as sunlight, gravity, water, and touch. Thigmotropism is the response of a plant to touch. There are various plants that responses to touch and Venus Flytrap is one of those.

What is a Venus Flytrap Plant?

Vein Flytrap is scientifically known as Dionaea muscipula. It is a weird, tiny, little, carnivorous plant yet wonderful plant. Yes, you read that correctly. This plant is a carnivorous or meat eating species. It is so beautiful in appearance that it attracts flies and other insects.

5 Fascinating Facts About Venus Flytraps:

1. Meat-eating masters: Venus flytraps get essential nutrients by trapping and digesting insects. They do this especially when they grow in a nutrient deficient soil.
2. Speed matters: The leaves are like a trap that closes in about 0.1 seconds – that’s faster than a blink so that the insect could not escape.
3. Insects preferred: They mainly snack on ants, spiders, and flies. Each trap can digest a meal in 7-10 days.
4. Native to the Carolinas: These plants grow wild in North and South Carolina, USA. They thrive in boggy, nutrient-poor areas and that’s why to get nutrients, they have to rely on insects.
5. Not so scary: Despite their fearsome looks, Venus flytraps are endangered and need protection. They can live up to 20 years in the wild.

How a Venus Flytrap Catches and Digests an Insect?

It’s like a tiny, deadly trap! Not for us or big animals but surely for small insects. Here’s how a Venus Flytrap traps insect in its prison bar leaves and kills the insect.

1. Trigger hairs: The Venus flytrap’s leaves have six super-sensitive trigger hairs. When an insect lands and touches these hairs (usually twice in a row), the trap snaps shut. The hair sends an electric signal to shut the leaves.
2. Snap trap: The leaves close super fast (0.1 seconds!), trapping the insect inside. It’s like a tiny, green bear trap. If the insect is too big or too small it might escape the trap.
3. Digestion: The plant secretes digestive enzymes to break down the insect’s soft tissues. This process takes about 7-10days.
4. Nutrient absorption: The plant absorbs the nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus) it needs from the insect’s remains and fulfils its nutritional requirements.
5. Re-open: Once the meal’s digested, the leaves re-opens, and ready for the next snack. It takes 7-10 days for the leaves to finally open and get ready for the next venture.

Did you already know about this plant? Are you interested in learning about any other plant? Let me know in the comment section below. I will try to right a blog post on that plant.