Carnivorous Plants and Their Traps | Plant Adaptations
Plants make their own food through photosynthesis, but photosynthesis alone is not enough. They also need other nutrients, and carnivorous plants take a more extreme approach than other plants when nutrients are hard to find. To survive, they have developed adaptations to trap prey, including pitfall traps, suction traps, and snap traps.
Check for Understanding
- How do plants usually make their own food?
- What is a carnivorous plant?
Take It Further
- There are many kinds of carnivorous plant traps. Which type of plant trap do you think works best?
Create
- Draw or describe your own kind of carnivorous plant. Where does it live? What kind of critters does it eat? How does it trap its food? What does it look like?
Make a Personal Connection
- Humans don’t make food using photosynthesis, but we are similar to carnivorous plants that must get food from outside sources. What are some of the things you eat to get the nutrients you need?
