Venus Flytrap Facts — Passage and Quiz

The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is one of the world's most fascinating carnivorous plants, famous for its lightning-fast traps that snap shut on unsuspecting prey.

Habitat: Where Do Venus Flytraps Live?

Venus flytraps grow only in a tiny region of the United States:

●       Coastal North and South Carolina (within 100 miles of Wilmington, Nc)

●       Boggy Areas with nutrient-poor, acidic soil

●       Sunny, Wet Locations that receive plenty of rainfall

Their limited native range makes them vulnerable to habitat loss.

Venus Flytrap Facts

1. Trap Mechanism:

○       Traps snap shut in 0.1 seconds when trigger hairs are touched twice

○       Uses digestive enzymes to dissolve prey (mostly insects and spiders)

○       Each trap can only open and close 4-5 times before dying

1. Energy Efficiency:

○       Photosynthesizes like other plants but gets nutrients from prey

○       Goes dormant in winter to conserve energy

1. Size:

○       Typically grows 5-6 traps at a time

○       Each trap measures 2.5-5 cm (1-2 inches)

Reproduction: How Does a Venus Flytrap Reproduce?

Venus flytraps use two methods to multiply:

1. Sexual Reproduction (Flowers & Seeds)

●       Produces white flowers on tall stalks in spring

●       Requires pollination by insects (avoiding self-pollination)

●       Each flower makes 20-30 tiny black seeds

2. Asexual Reproduction (Rhizomes)

●       Underground stems grow new plants identical to the parent

●       Allows colonies to form slowly over years

Fun Fact: The traps glow blue under UV light to attract insects!