2. 🪤 Venus Fly Trap

• This plant has leaves that are split into two lobes like a mouth.
• Each lobe has tiny hair-like structures called trichomes.
• When an insect touches these hairs, it triggers the lobes to snap shut in less than a second — just like a trap!
• The edges of the lobes have tooth-like bristles, which lock together and prevent the insect from escaping.
• The plant then secretes digestive enzymes to break down the insect’s body.
• The digested nutrients are absorbed, and after a few days, the trap opens again, ready for another prey.

🧠 Fun fact: It only closes if an insect touches more than one hair, which helps the plant avoid closing due to false alarms like wind or dust.

3. 🌸 Sundew

• The sundew plant’s leaves are covered with long, fine tentacles, each with a shiny drop of sticky liquid at the tip.
• These drops look like dew, which is why the plant is called “sundew.”
• The liquid is sticky and sweet-smelling, which attracts insects.
• When an insect lands, it gets stuck to the sticky drops.
• The tentacles slowly bend and curl around the insect, trapping it completely.
• The plant then releases enzymes to digest the insect, and the nutrients are absorbed.

🧠 Think of it like a fly getting stuck on sticky tape — it can’t escape!

📝 Summary for Revision

Feature	Explanation
What are insectivorous plants?	Green plants that make their own food but also trap and digest insects to get extra nutrients.
Why do they eat insects?	To get nitrogen and other minerals that are missing from the soil.
Are they still green plants?	Yes, they are true autotrophs — they do photosynthesis.
How do they digest insects?	Using enzymes secreted from leaves that break down the insect’s body.
Examples	Pitcher plant, Venus fly trap, Sundew.