The famous Venus Fly-Trap decided to feature my gallery today. I haven't posted anything in ages because all my carnivorous plants die back in winter and look very sad. But spring is here now! The trap on this leaf is only 2cm long. I always used to think they were huge! I bought my first Venus Fly Trap when I was 12. They are easy to grow - just sit the pot in a saucer of water, do not fertilise, and only trigger the traps with an insect for it to eat - or else it will quickly die because it's used up all its energy. Steps involved in trapping and eating insect: 1. Trigger hairs on leaf are touched twice in the space of about 10 seconds (the long spikes, 2 on each half, in the centre of the traps) 2. The two halves snap together in less than a second! There is a space left in the centre, like when you close your jaw. The fringes act like teeth - to keep the insect inside while the plant determines if it's caught anything. If there is no insect, it will open up again. 3. The insect struggles, which indicates to the trap that there is something in it, and the trap slowly squeezes together, squishing the insect. It takes a few hours to close completely. The struggling also encourages the plant to produce enzymes to digest it (secreted from the red digestive glands in the picture). 4. The insect is slowly dissolved and, about a week later, the trap opens up again - ready to eat more! Enjoy the picture, and I hope you've learnt a little about them. Feel free to comment and criticise.