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RE: A new study has found that the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) can opt not to eat its pollinators!
Brilliant ! My Aunty had one of these when I was a kid and it both fascinated and scared me to death, especially as that would be about the same time 'Day of the Triffids' was made into a TV series!
Anyway, my visit to your most incredible blog would not be complete without a question I thought of whilst I was reading...
I know that flies and other insects don't have bones but have exoskeletons, in your post, you mentioned the digestive juices of the plant breaking down the organic matter but does that include the exoskeleton ? If not, is there a way the plant can eject any matter it can't absorb ?
Have a great weekend :-)
Hi, @nathen007! Great question :)
The plant cannot break down chitin (which is the main component of most exoskeletons), so this is left in the "jaw" once the entire animal has been digested. I have no idea what happens to the leftover chitin, but I assume that it simply gets carried away by the wind, by water, or just stay in the jaw.
I'm pretty sure that it does not have the ability to eject things that get stuck on it's own, but have to depend on the elements (air/water) to get rid of the things.