Carnivorous Plants

Carnivorous plants are those that obtain some or most of their nutrients from trapping animals such as insects and arthropods. In the above image, we see the process in action. These plants are relatively rare. Here is a quote from Wikipedia: Carnivorous plant.

True carnivory is thought to have evolved independently nine times in five different orders of flowering plants, and is represented by more than a dozen genera. This classification includes at least 583 species that attract, trap and kill prey, absorbing the resulting available nutrients. Additionally, over 300 protocarnivorous plant species in several genera show some but not all of these characteristics.

The above plant is called a pitcher plant is one of the types of plants that use pitfall traps where the insect is caught in a passive tubular trap. Here is another quote from the Wikipedia article.

Characterized by an internal chamber, pitfall traps are thought to have evolved independently at least six times. This particular adaptation is found within the families Sarraceniaceae (Darlingtonia, Heliamphora, Sarracenia), Nepenthaceae (Nepenthes), Cephalotaceae (Cephalotus), and Eriocaulaceae (Paepalanthus). Within the family Bromeliaceae, pitcher morphology and carnivory evolved twice (Brocchinia and Catopsis). Because these families do not share a common ancestor who also had pitfall trap morphology, carnivorous pitchers are an example of convergent evolution.

This particular pitcher plant was growing in the Buffalo Botanical Gardens in New York state.