Double Ending. Wasp and Flesh Fly, Venus Flytrap, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Looking at a pretty cluster of Venus Flytraps in the fine bog for insectivorous plant of the Hortus, I noticed that a Wasp had been captured not very much earlier. In fact, the trap was still slowly closing on the already dead insect. A Flesh Fly alighted to see what it could see, and have a lick or two of terminal waspy body fluids. After a minute or so, it flew off to land right in the middle of another trap. It overstayed its welcome; generally those traps close within about twenty seconds of two or three of its trigger hairs having been touched. The drama unfolded before my eyes; relatively slowly the trap closed and Fly could no longer break loose... If you examine the inset you can see its red left eye looking through the 'bars'. As I left it was still struggling against digestion. An hour or so later all was still.
Double Ending. Wasp and Flesh Fly, Venus Flytrap, Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Looking at a pretty cluster of Venus Flytraps in the fine bog for insectivorous plant of the Hortus, I noticed that a Wasp had been captured not very much earlier. In fact, the trap was still slowly closing on the already dead insect. A Flesh Fly alighted to see what it could see, and have a lick or two of terminal waspy body fluids. After a minute or so, it flew off to land right in the middle of another trap. It overstayed its welcome; generally those traps close within about twenty seconds of two or three of its trigger hairs having been touched. The drama unfolded before my eyes; relatively slowly the trap closed and Fly could no longer break loose... If you examine the inset you can see its red left eye looking through the 'bars'. As I left it was still struggling against digestion. An hour or so later all was still.