At this week’s Carnivorous Plant club, students thoroughly enjoyed dissecting a variety of sarracenia pitcher plants to see what was inside!
Using a delicate, steady hand, they gently opened the plants up and were surprised to find insects decomposing inside. From flies, moths and even a crane fly, students were left open-mouthed and in awe at plants being able to eat live insects!
Mr Geracitano explained how these plants attract their insect prey with secretions from extra-floral nectar on the lip of the pitcher leaves, as well as a combination of the leaves’ colour and scent. Slippery footing at the pitcher’s rim, causes insects to fall inside, where they die and are digested by the plant with proteases and other enzymes.
It was a fantastic way to teach our students how weird and wonderful our plant life is!
