Dionaea muscipula

Dionaea muscipula - Body

Let’s explore one of the most famous carnivorous plants: the Venus Fly Trap! Look closely at the photos and videos below. What do you notice? How do you think this plant has adapted to survive in its environment?

Scientific Name: Dionaea muscipula (DIE-oh-NAY-uh MUH-skip-oo-luh)

Family: Droseraceae

Common Name: Venus Fly Trap

Range: North Carolina

A pair of leaves that are yellowish green on the outside and red on the inside. The leaves have red spine-like growths on the edges., and these growths are partially interlocked.

Dionaea muscipula

Black circle. Inside the circle is a set of leaves that are yellowish green on the outside and red on the inside. The leaves have red spine-like growths on the edges.

Dionaea muscipula under the microscope

Plant with mouth-like leaves. The leaves are bright green on the outside and red on the inside. The leaves have spine-like growths on the edges.

Dionaea muscipula

Black circle. Inside the black circle is a red leaf surface. The red leaf surface has three thin red growths.

Dionaea muscipula trigger hairs under a microscope

Watch this video to look at the plant in a new way!

Questions & Prompts

  • What do you observe?

  • What do you wonder?

  • Imagine touching this plant. What would it feel like? Do you think different parts of the plant feel different?

  • If you could ask this plant one question, what would you ask?

  • This plant’s common name (or nickname) is Venus Fly Trap. Why do you think people chose this common name? What common name (or nickname) would you give to this plant? Why?

  • What do you think would happen to this plant if it were transplanted to a desert? Why do you think that?

Creative Prompts

  • What colors do you see on this plant? Do you see any of these greens? Can you recreate these colors using art supplies?

  • Be an engineer! Study the adaptations that help this plant survive in a nutrient-poor environment. Create an invention to help people survive nutrient-poor environments. Your invention should use the same features this plant uses. What does your invention do? Is your invention sustainable?

  • Be an artist! Create an abstract artwork based on this plant’s features. When you’re done, write a label for your artwork.

  • Be an artist! Create a pattern artwork based on a plant part pattern you see. When you’re done, write a label for your artwork.

  • Be an artist! Create a work of botanical art for this plant.

  • Write from the perspective of an insect encountering this plant. What do they think? What do they notice? What do they do?

Video with Shawn Lyons

Did Shawn talk about anything you observed?

Did Shawn answer any questions you had?

What new questions do you have after listening to Shawn?

In what sort of environment do you think this plant lives? Draw a picture or write a descriptive paragraph to help people understand the Venus Fly Trap’s environment and what the Venus Fly Trap needs to survive.

Resources and References

“Dionaea Muscipula.” n.d. Accessed June 7, 2021. http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=279896.

“Plants Behaving Badly: The Venus Flytrap, Episode 1.” PBS. n.d. Accessed June 7, 2021. https://www.pbs.org/video/plants-behaving-badly-venus-flytrap/.

“The Venus Flytrap: A Complete Guide to Growing Dionaea.” n.d. Tom’s Carnivores. Accessed June 7, 2021. https://www.carnivorousplants.co.uk/resources/venus-flytrap-complete-guide/.

“Venus’s-Flytrap.” n.d. Britannica Kids. Accessed June 7, 2021. https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Venuss-flytrap/353896.