How did carnivorous plants evolve to eat insects?

Now, by studying the pitcher plant's genome — and comparing its insect-eating fluids to those of other carnivorous plants — researchers have found that ... This suggests that carnivory has evolved repeatedly in plants, probably to cope with the nutrient-scarce soils in which they grow, Albert says. read more

Plants that evolved to “eat” insects evolved in areas that have nutrient-poor soil. The plants need a particular nutrient, nitrogen, most. Being plants, they still derive all their energy from photosynthesis, but that only helps them create sugar for energy. The nitrogen (and phosphorous) they need has to be obtained from their soil. read more

Carnivorous plants derive most of their nutrients by consuming animals, most commonly flying, foraging, or crawling insects, and have adapted to grow in places where the soil does not contain enough nutrients for them to survive. read more

Venus fly-traps ensnare their prey, whereas bladderworts immobilize their victims using tiny suction cups. In his 1875 book Insectivorous Plants, Charles Darwin included detailed drawings of the tentacles that sundews use to pin insects to their leaves. "It's no wonder Darwin wrote an entire book on carnivorous plants,” Albert says. read more