Carnivorous Plant: What Does It Eat?

A carnivorous plant she has become more and more famous. Perhaps, because of the curiosity around her, since her peculiar name raises many doubts. Also called insectivorous, this species captures small insects to supplement its diet. So, now check out some curiosities about the carnivorous plant!

We can see that in nature, the various forms of life undergo mutations according to the environment and transform themselves to be able to adapt to the needs of survival that that ecosystem requires. The carnivorous plant is the result of this process of evolution.

What does the carnivorous plant feed on?

When we talk about carnivorous plants, the main question is: “what do they eat?”. They grow in soggy soil with few nutrients, so they had to use other means to get them. From evolution, they began to capture insects and small animals that are composed of nitrogen.

Like Venus flytraps, they use their leaves to capture their prey. This capture process is done when the insects land on the plant's body, then it closes its leaves, trapping them.

Each species has its own way of looking for food. Nepenthes, for example, use a liquid substance to attract insects. The Drosera, on the other hand, has tentacles containing a sticky substance, which makes the prey stick.

Your characteristics

As mentioned before, carnivorous plants live in waterlogged places with soil that is poor in nutrients, such as swamps, for example. They tend to be small, reaching about 15 cm in height.

With a wide variety, there are about 600 species around the world. Most can be found in tropical and subtropical regions. There are many regions with carnivorous plants such as across the American continent, in Southeast Asia, in southern Europe and Africa, as well as in Australia.

These specimens usually feed on insects such as flies, beetles and ants. Even with this type of food, they have several characteristics of vegetables. This is why carnivorous plants carry out photosynthesis.

How to care for a carnivorous plant?

Before purchasing a carnivorous plant, you need to know that they require special care and tools. So, research a little about the species, the ideal type and learn the basics.

The first step is to recreate the natural habitat of this plant at home. Therefore, use nutrient-poor soil and add moss, sand and tree fern powder when planting it. It's worth remembering never to fertilize your little plant. Done that, always try to leave it near windows. Thus, she is exposed to light and can capture prey more easily.

It is important that you water it every day, so that the soil never dries out, so try to keep it always moist. For these waterings, the ideal is to use rainwater or distilled water. Don't let her take a lot of wind and low air humidity, as this causes the carnivore to dry out. Also, don't feed her or disturb the traps.