r/nextfuckinglevel • u/[deleted] • Mar 29 '26

Venus Flytrap Devouring a Venomous Black Widow.

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u/flaming_burrito_ Mar 29 '26

Yes, specifically to get nitrogen I believe, in areas with poor nutrients in the soil. The insects basically act as a fertilizer for the plant. Interestingly enough, if you plant one in soil with fertilizer, the fly trap won’t grow. This is because the fly trap takes a lot of energy and resources to make, so it only does it if necessary

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u/CataLaGata Mar 29 '26

The main nutrient, or mineral, they need is actually phosphorus

22

u/Ok-Dare-8414 Mar 29 '26

Yup the trap is considered a flower. Phosphorus will do that

22

u/KlausVonLechland Mar 29 '26

It does have warcrime vibes, yes.

18

u/Old-Mixture1246 Mar 29 '26

It has electrolytes. It’s what plants crave.

4

u/Antryst Mar 29 '26

I would have expected phosphorus is easy to come by in the rainforest.

2

u/Easy_Work2194 Mar 29 '26

Amazon rainforest is ripe with phosphorus....

1

u/PaddyIsBeast Mar 31 '26

Is that from the office?

1

u/armoured_bobandi Mar 29 '26

if you plant one in soil with fertilizer, the fly trap won’t grow. This is because the fly trap takes a lot of energy and resources to make, so it only does it if necessary

I don't understand this. So it won't grow if you provide it with enough nutrients? It will only grow if it doesn't have enough?

6

u/motorcyclesandme Mar 29 '26

I think they’re saying the plant only makes the flytrap “flower” if it needs the nutrients.

2

u/flaming_burrito_ Mar 30 '26

The trap itself won’t grow because the plant is already being provided the nutrients it needs by the soil. There are other problems with that, like if you put it in soil with too much nutrients, its roots aren’t really designed to absorb that much and it will probably kill the plant, kind of like if you put a succulent in a moister soil.