[pullquote]Mosquitoes and other pests have natural predators, and nature has made its own unique ways on how to control such pests. [/pullquote]This is why some plants area can be made into natural insecticides when planted alongside ornamental plants, flowers, and even crops to keep out pests and harmful insects. There are, however, plants that actually feed off insects. And one of their favorite insects is mosquitoes!

The Venus fly trap and the trumpet pitchers are two carnivorous plants that are known to feed on mosquitoes and other insect that are unfortunate enough to stray in their traps. While they don’t feed exclusively on mosquitoes, they will play their part in getting rid of those pesky insects by devouring them.

These plants can be found in water-logged areas where soil nutrients are not that abundant. The lack of nutrition in the soil and water they make up for by devouring insects (or sometimes small frogs) that get trapped inside their bodies.

The Venus fly trap is an iconic figure among other carnivorous plants. It has become the poster boy for the group of plants that function similarly by eating or devouring insects. The Venus fly trap has two jaw-like leaves (with thorny extensions) that are opened. When an insect is unfortunate enough to crawl inside, tiny hair on its surface are triggered and the jaws closes and traps the insect inside. It then secretes digestive fluids and slowly dissolves the insect along with its nutrients.

Mosquito Eating Plants

Mosquito Eating Plants—Rex Roof (Flickr.com)

The trumpet pitcher plant works the same way by trapping its victims. However, instead of thorns and closing traps, the pitcher plant is shaped like a deep trumpet filled with water. The surface inside the trumpet is lined with tiny spines that point downward. These spines are specifically to make insects and other small creatures slide down when they lose their grip, and fall into the trumpet hole. And because they are unable to grip on the surface inside the plant, insects such as mosquitoes will also be dissolved and eaten by the plant.

There are other plants out there that eat mosquitoes but these are some of the more common ones. They are nature’s way of controlling pests like mosquitoes, gnats, and other pesky insects. If you want to know more about these two, and other similar plants, check more from this website for future posts about mosquito plants and other plants that act as natural insecticides.

 

 

 

 

Filed under: Mosquito Eating Plant

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