Genus: Drosera
In bogs and fens, sundews set traps baited with sweet nectar to lure in unsuspecting insects for a meal.
Habitat
Various species of sundew can be found across much of the world, especially Australia, South America, southern Africa. In Canada look for sundews in bogs and fens.
Food
Like other plants, sundews have roots to absorb minerals and nutrients from the soil and leaves for
photosynthesis. This is supplemented with insects they catch and digest.
Behaviour
Sundews take their name from the liquid they secrete on their tips, called mucilage. It looks like tiny drops of water, the same as dew on a cool morning. But this mucilage is sticky and gluey. It forms on the ends of the tiny tentacles that cover the leaves. Sweet, it attracts insects and traps them. When an insect is trapped, the tentacles bend in, pushing the insect to the plant. At the same time enzymes are released that dissolve the insect, releasing its nutrients. Sundews grow in bogs and fens, where the soil and water is low in nutrients and insects are good way to augment this.
Conservation
Generally abundant, the biggest threat to sundews is habitat loss through wetland drainage.