Be a Pitcher Plant
Did you know pitcher plants are native to Saskatchewan? They have a special
liquid in them that attract insects. When the insect crawls in tiny hairs inside
the plant stop it from escaping. When the insect reaches the liquid it drowns
and the plant is able to digest it. That’s how it gets its food!
Here is an activity where you can catch an insect the same way a pitcher plant
does, but instead of eating your catch, just have a close look at it before letting
it go.
You Will Need:
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Plastic funnel
Sharp knife
Piece of juicy fruit or fruit juice
Wide-mouth jar
1. Ask an adult to cut off the narrow part of the funnel so that the opening
is about 1cm (1/2 inch) across.
2. Rub the piece of fruit over the inside of the funnel or pour some fruit
juice on it so that the funnel is sticky and sweet smelling.
3. Put the fruit in the bottom of the jar.
4. Set the funnel in the mouth of the jar with the narrow part of the funnel
pointing down.
5. Place your jar outside in an open area, like a field or backyard, and wait
for your first visitor!
What Happens?
Did an insect fly into the jar?
Why do you think it did that?
What kind of insects did you observe?
What was their behaviour like inside the jar?
Why:
Many insects are attracted to sweet tasting things, like the fruit you put on and
in your jar. When the insect follows the sweet juice down the funnel into the jar
below it gets stuck inside, just like how a pitcher plant attracts its prey.
This activity was adapted from,
Pamela Hickman. The Jumbo Book of Nature Science. Kids Can Press Ltd., Toronto, ON, 1996. Pages 16-17.