The Nature Conservancy owns this 15,000+ acre preserve. We were in the area and I had hoped to see Venus Flytraps bloom. You may be wondering why an insectivore would have a bloom. Well, it needs to pollenate just like other plants but it also wants to consume insects. So the pollenating bloom is on a stem rising up and away from their clam shell trap. They were not blooming during our visit.
When a bug land on it, the trap begins to close but waits for a second contact within 20 seconds before closing all the way. They need a couple bugs a month to thrive but can live without insects, just at a slower rate.
This time of year, this is what to look for. The flower stems have a yellowish bud and are away from the base of the plant.
Pitcher plants occur here in great quantity. There are thousands. We saw a number of ants awaiting a fall into the digestive juice pitcher. The plant surface is slippery when wet, allowing ants and insects to fall into the pitcher. The insides are lined with downward facing hairs which make it more difficult to escape.
And finally Sundew. It was everywhere.
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