2007-03-26 08:17:56 · 4 answers · asked by mc2oh9 1 in Environment
The venus fly trap has specially modified leaves which ressemble the two halves of an open clam shell with "teeth" around the rims. The inside is attractive to insects by way of colour and a sugary secretion.
When an insect climbs in between the two halves of the "clam shell" leaves it triggers a hydrostatic reaction - basically a change of water pressure inside the leaves - which causes the "clam shell" leaves to close together trapping the insect inside. The leaves then secrete digestive enzymes which reduce the insect to a liquid which is absorbed into the plant.
The leaves then open ready for the next victim.
2007-03-26 08:25:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Insects are attracted to the plant by the sent and its color. When an insect is caught at first, the trap is very loosely closed. You can see the captured bug running back and forth in the trap. If the bug is very small it will escape. If that happens, the trigger hairs (inside the trap) wouldn't be further stimulated and the trap would reopen in about a day. This is how the plant avoids wasting time trying to digest sticks, rain droplets, or prey that got away. If a bug remains trapped inside its vegetable prison, it's continued running about would stimulate the trap to close for several days (8-10). It takes about 1/2 of a second for the traps to close. The leaves secret acid like digestive juices, and slowly devours the insect. Digestive juices may contain peroxidases, acid phospharases, esterases and proteases. When it finally reopened, the sad exoskeleton would remain until the rain washes it out. After a plant has captured 3 or 4 insects, the trap dies.
Venus Flytraps like to eat caterpillars, flies, spiders, even little frogs, crickets, slugs, and ants (its favorite). They don't like moths (too much fuzz), butterflies (big wings), or insects with sturdy exoskeletons (beetles).
2007-03-26 08:28:01 · answer #2 · answered by MSK 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The simple version: Sticky leaves that envelop the insect combined with digestive enzymes that break it down to enter the plant's cells.
2007-03-26 10:11:35 · answer #3 · answered by fanny gardener 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it doesn't
2015-01-29 15:08:24 · answer #4 · answered by Marisol 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋