Names of insectivorous plants

Insectivorous plants

Insect-eating plants grow in soil that lacks nitrogen, and they compensate for this element by digesting insects. In general, it can be said that the method of hunting them depends on attracting the insect to it, then closing on it and digesting it. Examples of plants that feed on insects include Nabtan and Drosera. And fly strangles, each of which we will discuss separately in this article.

Names of insect-eating plants

Al-Nabant or “Al-Salwa”

The Nabtan plant, or what is called “quail”, is considered one of the most famous insect-eating plants, which grows in both Borneo and tropical Asia. This plant secretes a sap that attracts insects to it, and what doubles the deception of prey is that this plant has leaves that have small “stems” at their ends. The size and red color contain a sugary liquid. As soon as the insect comes to it, the plant quickly attaches the leaves to it. What helps this process to be successful is the soft texture inside the quail leaves, which makes it easy for the insect to slide and then fall into the liquid, so that the process of digesting the insect begins. .

Al-Nada or “Drosira”

The sundew or “dreuse” is based on the principle of catching insects in this type of plant by secreting a juice that is characterized by stickiness, which attaches to the insect, then absorbs and digests that insect. This is due to the fact that the upper part of the plant’s leaves is covered with small hair-like protrusions.

As for the liquid that it secretes, it resembles dew drops, and that is why it is called “dew.” As soon as any insect touches one of these hairs, it becomes attached to it, and all the hairs are applied to the insect, curved towards the center of the leaf, where there is a liquid that works to digest the insect, and it continues. This process lasts for two days, then the plant returns to its previous position, waiting for new prey.

Fly strangles

It is one of the plants that is found in a small area of ​​​​the coastal areas in the state of North and South Carolina, where the height of this plant reaches approximately thirty centimeters, and it works to catch insects that stand between its leaves, and then digest them, as there are two valves on the leaf blade, which are Their movement on the Middle Race.

There are three sensitive hairs on the upper surface of each valve, while the edges are surrounded by sharp spines. Once the insect touches one of these hairs, the two valves close, so that the insect becomes trapped inside. This plant grows in swamps whose soil is characterized by a lack of nitrogen. Thus, these insects replace the nitrogen in the food made by the plant.