Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/09/10/watch-this-carnivorous-sundew.html
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Funny: the Ratel kit has become obsessed with carnivorous plants, and it turns out there are only a handful of halfway decent Gootube videos before you get into crackheads convinced they’re going to break into the kids video market or guys filming the same PBS segment on their phones while their unfed children scream in the background. Hopefully this will be a new one for him!
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Every time I see a bug getting consumed in some icky manner, all I hear is a high-pitched voice, begging for help. Eh, plants gonna plant, spiders gonna spider.
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So, does the bug-husk drop off, or does it remain, a forever reminder to others to beware of the deadly trap?
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Has he tried growing any? The Cape sundew in this video is really easy to grow and it’s even more fun–if a bit sadistic–to watch the real thing. California Carnivores has them in stock.
Eventually the husk drops off but even before that insects don’t seem to notice the warning signs. Most sundews, including this one, also put up a tall flower spike, probably to protect pollinators from being eaten. But the Cape sundew has no problem self-pollinating and will quickly take over surrounding pots if it’s not stopped.
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Alas, Madam Mrs the Ratel has already bought him a bunch of carnivorous plants, so now we have even more finicky crap we have to take care of.
After the initial excitement over the fly traps and pitchers, he was upset, and it took us a while to realize he was saying “Drosera”, which the plant store didn’t have.
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Just FTR, we can draw a direct line from sentences like these to religiously motivated denial of the existance of carnivorous plants. Linné is the poster child for that, of course.
@Ratel, the BBC produced quite a bit of decent footage, with ok-ish commentary.
If I can get some minutes of peace during the weekend, I’ll try to find some. And might add some tidbits your youngling might find interesting.
Those we’ve found. Unfortunately, The Private Life of Plants isn’t available on US region DVD.
I could swear that the DVD I own was a US version, but maybe it was just the book which was de-listed and sold from a US library…
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I highly recommend https://www.californiacarnivores.com for your bug-eating botanical companions.
NOTE: My only connection is having lived near the CC location.
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