https://www.flickr.com/photos/dakota1709/10100407545/

Most plants only need water, soil, and light to thrive, but not all of them stick to the standard necessities of living. Hundreds of plant species have developed ways to add an extra source of nutrients when the usual sources are meager. Popularized by Charles Darwin’s “Insectivorous Plants” book that was published in 1875, species labeled as carnivorous plants have anatomies designed to catch and kill animals for snacking. They have trapping mechanisms, mostly by using sticky surfaces and reactionary appendages, to consume the unsuspecting passerby. They come in all sorts of fascinating shapes and sizes, and the dedicated members of the Carnivorous Plants group offer wonderful photos of them.

Enjoy, and share, more photos in the Carnivorous plants gallery.