How does a pitcher plant catch insects?

Most of the pitcher plants have some type of lure to attract insects. Many of them have attractively colored, elongated pitchers with nectar. Some species produce scents to attract their prey. read more

Thus, some plants developed the ability to catch and digest small animals, primarily insects. These plants had evolved particular organs to catch their prey. Different types of carnivores bear traps with different morphologies and catch-mechanisms. The pitfall trap of the tropical pitcher plant Nepenthes belongs to the group with passive traps. In this group, the plant does not move in order to catch animals. read more

Pitcher plants are several different carnivorous plants which have modified leaves known as pitfall traps—a prey-trapping mechanism featuring a deep cavity filled with digestive liquid. The traps of what are considered to be "true" pitcher plants are formed by specialized leaves. The plants attract and drown their prey with nectar. read more