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larose forest photos | all galleries >> Wildflowers, Ferns, Grasses, Trees and Shrubs (18 Galleries) >> Wildflowers: P to S >> Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia purpurea) > Pitcher plant and carpenter ant
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27-APR-2013 Christine Hanrahan

Pitcher plant and carpenter ant

This carpenter ant (Camponotus novaeboracensis) was fished out of the pitcher plant into which it had fallen. Pitcher plants, of course, are carnivorous, and so they feed on insects that fall into their water traps. The hairs on the sides of the plant grow downwards, preventing insects from crawling out. The decomposed insects provide nutrients to the plant. Photographed in the Mer Bleue Bog.

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
1/80s f/6.3 at 4.3mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
Don27-Dec-2015 22:01
Fascinating indeed, and so unlike our Pitcher Plants; this would seem to be a case of convergent evolution in solving the problem of lack of nutrients.
Graeme02-May-2013 21:33
Fascinating information and close up of this ant, Christine.V
Stephanie02-May-2013 12:42
Fascinating description Christine! V
Yvonne02-May-2013 11:06
Superb capture of both Christine! v
Patrick Goossens02-May-2013 09:35
An interesting explanation with photo documentation. The Ant looks dead to me.
Linda & Pär Johansson02-May-2013 08:55
Very interesting photos and instructive! V
Torben Jorgensen02-May-2013 07:38
Great documentation. So the ant went on to live another day. V
Patricia Kay02-May-2013 06:29
Beautiful images Christine...BV
joseantonio02-May-2013 04:17
Interesting nature lesson.V.
Jim Coffman02-May-2013 03:05
Very nice images,Christine!
Dan the Man02-May-2013 02:36
I don't know who to feel sorry for... :-) Thank you for sharing!
Carl Carbone02-May-2013 01:58
So the plant went hungry for the night? :-D Nice find and documentation!
Glenn Dean (Vatorman)02-May-2013 01:52
Nice shots of a twist of hunter and prey.
(Must be a poem or something in your rhyming title.)
Hank Vander Velde02-May-2013 01:49
Two super images Christine.
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