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Carnivorous Plants at Home!

When you hear the phrase “carnivorous plants” you likely think of the iconic Venus flytrap but were you aware that there are 582 other species of carnivorous plants and counting? About 3 species a year since 2000 have been discovered to be carnivorous. The fun doesn’t stop there. Snap traps like those utilized by the flytrap are only one of the ways carnivorous plants ensnare their food. Other trapping mechanisms include rolled leaves containing a pool of digestive enzymes or bacteria called pitfall traps; flypaper traps, where leaves are covered in a sticky mucilage; bladder traps that generate an internal vacuum to suck in prey; and inward-pointing hairs that force prey towards a digestive organ known as a lobster-pot trap or eel trap. Here are just a few of the cunning carnivores we have and some fun facts to feed your carnivorous need.

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