A death trap for flies The meat-like red of a Venus F ly Trap's trap tempts a f ly in with the promise of a meal. But as soon as the f ly touches the tiny trigger hairs on the red surface, once, then twice, the trap is sprung: the two halves snap shut, the spines on their edges overlap to make a cage and the f ly is caught. The more it struggles, the tighter the trap holds it. Soon it will be digested, then trap and prey will be absorbed back into the plant. Like pitcher plants these gruesome killers are bog plants, that like wet feet, plenty of light and protection from winds and storms. Venus fly traps live in bogs and marshes where there is no shade, so they need lots of light. It's pretty wet in bogs and marshes, so stand your plant pot in a container with a centimetre or so of water in it - always use the right kind of water. You don't need to water them if you keep this water round their feet topped up at all times VFTs need to eat flies, so in summer, put them where they can catch their own - outside in a sunny spot is best. VFTs don't like frost, but they like a cool rest in winter. Put them somewhere frost free, and out of wind and rain, but unheated and light, for the winter. Excerpted from Grow Your Own Monsters by Nicola Davies, Simon Hickmott All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
