THE VENUS FLY TRAP

SCIENTIFIC NAME Dionaea muscipula

Kingdom plantae

HOW IT WORKS

Jaws move very fast to trap the bug that lands on a sweet pad.

The leaves of the venus fly trap have sensors that detect motion inside its mouth.

Once one sensor is moved, the trap gets poised to snap shut.

Once its moved again for the second time, it snaps shut.

By closing on the second hit, it keeps the venus fly trap from closing on wind, water, or a still object such as a leaf.

THE VENUS FLY TRAP

Native to the bogs and swap lands of North and South Carolina.

VENUS FLY TRAP

Insects are lured by the sweet scent of nectar in the plant.

Inside the trap there are tiny trigger hairs, three on each side.

If only one hair is touched, the trap will remain open, but if more than one hair is touched, the trap will close.

VENUS FLY TRAP CONTINUED

If the insect does not move around, the fly trap will release the prey. If the insect does move, the fly trap will begin digestion.

The fly trap absorbs the nutrients from the insect, but the exoskeleton remains.

The exoskeleton remains possibly prompting another insect to fly into the venus fly trap.

VENUS FLY TRAP

The venus fly trap is bright red in the sun light, and green in the shade.

The venus fly trap needs a lot of light for better health.

IMPORTANCE OF THE VENUS FLY TRAP

Some say that venus fly trap extract can help reverse the effects of skin and other cancers.

The venus fly trap extract can substitute for radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity is important because the more diverse an area is, the healthier it is.

The more diversity of life, the greater the opportunity of medical discoveries, economic development, and adaptive responses.

HOW TO SAVE VENUS FLY TRAPS

Venus fly traps live in swamps, and swamps are being drained and taken over by humans. Humans should save swamps in order to save venus fly traps.

Another way to save venus fly traps is to not buy them from florists who get venus fly traps from the wild. It is better to leave the wild ones alone and cultivate venus fly traps in green houses or gardens.

VENUS FLY TRAP

WORKS CITED

America, Botanical Society of. The Mysterious Venus Fly Trap. 15 November 2010. 24 January 2011 <http://www.botany.org/bsa/misc/carn.html>.

King, Emily Brown. Information on the Venus Fly Trap. 4 January 2011. 24 January 2011 <http://www.soyouwanna.com/information-venus-fly-trap-7595.html>.

Matt. Fly Trap Care. 5 March 2005. 24 January 2011 <http://www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-background-information.html>.

My Carnivore. 2008. 24 January 2011 <http://mycarnivore.com/venus-fly-trap.php>.

Shah, Anup. Global Issues. 16 January 2011. 24 January 2011 <http://www.globalissues.org/issue/169/biodiversity>.