| Sarracenias work by
luring their victims into them. They use colour and
nectar. A drug in the nectar called Coniine found in
Sarracenia flava assists in the trapping of an insect. It
is believed that this drug acts to intoxicate the victim.
The insects fall into the tubular leaf for the process of
digestion to take place. The reason the insect falls is
that the inner surface of the pitcher offers no foothold
for the insect to grip onto. The insect is attracted to
this zone by stronger secretions of nectar. Two species of Sarracenia use "windows" to deceive insects to bring them to this slippery zone (S. minor and S. psittacina.) |
S. minor |
