Tell us in your own words how pitcher plants capture their prey.

1. Nepenthes feeding process: Carnivorous pitcher plants use raindrops to force prey into a "trap" and produce a large amount of nectar on the lower surface of the cover-like structure to absorb the arrival of insects. When raindrops fall under the cover-like structure, they will Insects bounce into kettle traps.

2. Nepenthes "kettle": Nepenthes is named after its long pot-like structure. The "kettle" structure functions as a trap. The digestive liquid can drown and liquefy the poor prey, and their main food falls into it. insect.

3. Small and slender pitcher plants:

1. Small and slender pitcher plants grow in the humid tropics of Southeast Asia. They are able to digest their prey into fertilizer, helping them survive food shortages. The top of each pitcher plant is a roof-like cover-like structure attached to a flexible shaft. Previously, scientists believed that the cover-like structure was used to prevent the pitcher plant's kettle from becoming "flooded" during periods of heavy rainfall. Now, scientists have discovered that the cap-like structure of Nepenthes micron helps it trap prey.

2. Research has found that compared with other pitcher plants, Nepenthes micron can produce a large amount of nectar on the lower surface of the cover-like structure. Although insects can climb on the surface of Nepenthes to collect nectar, The pitcher plant can periodically vibrate the lid-like structure, causing raindrops to fall on the outermost layer of the lid-like trap, which will prevent the insects from escaping from the large kettle.

3. Currently, scientists use a combination of high-speed cameras and sensitive laser equipment to monitor the vibrations of Nepenthes and find that the cap-like structure of Nepenthes minium acts like a springboard. When raindrops fall, the cap-like structure The structure vibrates up and down, driving insects into the kettle. In contrast, other pitcher plant species bend their caps when raindrops fall on them, making them unable to vibrate up and down, luring insects into traps.