Carnivorous Plants

There are five unique types of carnivorous plants. The well known type, the same family that the Venus Flytrap contains, is the snap trap family.

Snap traps use on a mouth that closes in around its pray, where the plant will eat anything it catches.

The second type are pitfall traps. These traps require food tumbling into the plant and being unable to escape. These plants undergo frequent evolution, as }liquid|water} can gather in the pitchers of the plant as well as the bugs that the plant eats. These plants range from beautiful to bland, and do not have moving parts like their snap trap cousins.

Flypaper traps are among some of the coolest carnivorous plants. These plants ooze out a glue which traps and devours insects for food. These carnivorous plants should be approached with caution in the home, as the secretions can cause damage to the skin.

Bladder traps are a fascinating subset of carnivorous plants. These plants function through the osmosis of water to create a suction within the body of the plant. Once an insect or aquatic species has been trapped within, escape is difficult. Unlike many carnivorous plants, these are more commonly found underwater than above ground. Some species of bladder traps, such as the Bladderwort, lack roots, which make them a creative addition to any collection.

Lobster pot traps are among some of the most exotic looking carnivorous plants that you can acquire. These plants survive by allowing insects an easy way to gain entry, but little chance of escape. In the case of the corkscrew plant, the insides of the plant have downward pointing barriers and a y-shaped leaf structure that stops the escape of its prey. The unusual shapes of lobster pot traps are directly related to their evolution to stop the escape of insects.

For those desiring something even more unusual, there are several varieties of plants that do not meet all of the requirements of carnivorous plants, but have similar characteristics. These plants include the Brocchinia Roridula and members of the Martyniaceae species. These plants lack one of the three required aspects, which is to attract, kill and digest prey, to be classed as a proper carnivorous plant.

Carnivorous plants should be grown where young children and babies cannot touch them. While most of them are mostly non-threatening to humans, digestion of these plants should be avoided, due to the digestive enzymes that the plant uses to devour prey.