The Cape sundew is an alien-looking plant studded with hundreds of red tentacles. At the tip of each tentacle is a droplet of glistening dew, beckoning hapless insects to enjoy a free sugary meal. But the tables turn and the prey becomes the predator! As soon as the bug alights on the sundew and starts drinking the juice, it gets stuck in the gluey droplets. The plant then releases enzymes to digest the trapped insect and folds to envelop it .
From KQED Science:
Because Cape sundews move their tentacles and use electrical signals to sense the difference between potential meals and other objects, they aren't just fascinating to scientists for their snare tactics – they challenge conventional understandings of plant behavior.
