There are two kinds of animals. There are animals that eat plants. We call these "herbivores". There are also animals that eat meat. We call these "carnivores".
But plants are the same. They make their food using energy from the sun, don't they?
Well, most plants do make their own food. But some plants get their nutrients in other ways. The Venus flytrap is a good example of this. It does make its food using energy from the sun. But, as it lives in damp soil, there is not enough water or nitrogen here to help the plant grow. So the Venus flytrap gets its nitrogen by eating insects.
Each leaf of the Venus flytrap has two parts, joined at the back. There are hairs along the sides of the leaf. When an insect lands on the leaf, the plant feels it and closes fast. It joins its hairs together to hold the insect. The Venus flytrap kills the insect and then eats it.
The leaves open up to wait for the next insect.
①The plant kills the insect and eats it.
②The two parts of the leaf close fast.
③The leaf opens up again.
④The hairs along the sides of the leaf hold the insect.
⑤An insects lands on a leaf and the plant feels it.
