Monday, April 19, 2010

Plants That Eat Things

After a biting gnat attack this evening, I have a renewed appreciation of plants that eat things.

Here from my very own
backyard, a yellow pitcher plant gets ready to make bug soup out of (hopefully) scores of mosquitoes and gnats.

I went on a plant walk the other day with Botanist, Dr. Robert Mohlenbrock and he informed those of us on the walk that research has shown that pitcher plants can subsist on just the nutrients they gather from the soil. So, in his words these guys eat insects simply "because they can". After living where they grow skeeters the size of elephants, I have to say, I'd take that plant to the prom.

Really, he's one of the cool kids.

6 comments:

  1. How do I get ahold of one of those! -Lu

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow. A plant being mean just to be mean. I thought only humans did that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. But yeah - as long as it eats bugs I don't like, I am cool with it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lu, I think you're situated all wrongly. :) Too upland pine at your place. Although, might
    grow around the ponds.

    CF, weird huh. I told that to one of my cousins, some kind of scientist (something to do with earth/geology), and I think he didn't entirely believe me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Was yours growing near water? That is my moms favorite 'flower'. We called them buttercups growing up.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wiz, the back half of the property is Wetland. If you go back in the woods there is the beginning of a stream back there.

    ReplyDelete

Please play nicely.