A Venus fly trap is a carnivorous plant; it feeds on animals and is a plant predator.
Venus fly traps are native to small coastal areas of the North American states of North Carolina and South Carolina. However, they can be grown worldwide, and many keep them as houseplants.
The Venus fly trap is best known for its namesake – its ability to trap flies and insects with the trigger hairs on its leaves that open wide and trap its prey inside.
What does Venus fly traps look like?
The Venus fly trap is a small plant measuring only up to 5 inches. It can have no more than seven leaves and typically has 4 – 7. The stem usually reaches around 4cms, with 10 being the maximum.
Its leaves are green, and the trap is red or reddish-orange. The web inside smells sweet, which helps it lure its prey in.
The Venus fly trap blooms yearly, producing beautiful, delicate white flowers that further help it attract prey. In addition, the flower is pollinated by various insects, such as bees and beetles.
What does Venus fly traps eat?
While the Venus fly trap does get some of its nutrients from the soil, sunlight, and water, its main diet consists of insects and arachnids, such as:
- Flies
- Ants
- Beetles
- Grasshoppers
- Small slugs
- Crickets
- Millipedes
- Spiders
- Sowbugs
- Small frogs
How does Venus fly traps to catch its prey?
Venus fly traps lure unsuspecting prey with their outward beauty, flower-like appearance, and sweet-smelling nectar, which is secreted from its open traps.
Once the prey lands in the trap, tiny hairs inside the web are triggered and snap shut with impressive speed (less than a second!). The game needs to be alive when it is on the web, as the movement
After the trap shuts, the Venus fly trap produces juices to help it digest what it has caught. These juices break down the prey, killing bacteria and extracting essential nutrients.
What are a Venus fly trap’s lifespan and reproduction cycle?
Lifespan: The typical lifespan of the Venus fly trap’s trap is pretty short. The web can only snap shut five times before it turns black and dies.
However, the Venus fly trap can grow new surprises, and the actual plant’s lifespan is much longer. It is not unheard of for these plants to live for 20 years or more!
Reproduction: Venus fly traps reproduce both asexually and sexually.
Asexual Reproduction: Here, a Venus fly trap’s root will extend into the soil to create a bulb from which the new plant develops.
Sexual Reproduction: This occurs through the pollination process.
Venus flies trap facts for kids:
- Venus fly traps are named after the goddess of love and beauty, Venus, due to their beautiful appearance.
- Although it is very quick at catching its prey, the digestion process for a Venus fly trap is pretty slow. It can take up to 10 days to digest certain insects.
- As well as attracting prey through its sweet nectar, the Venus fly trap can glow blue to grab the attention of flies!
- The hairs on the Venus fly trap have specially evolved to prevent closing for natural elements, like rainwater.
- It takes two stimulations of one of the hairs on the plant’s trap to trigger its speedy closing mechanism.
