Lets know About The Incredible Greater Bladderwort

Lets know About The Incredible Greater Bladderwort

The greater bladderwort is one of those plants that are truly incredible. This wonder of Nature sits in the water and traps its prey much a fish trap or crab pot, and then proceeds to eat it. They are distributed throughout the world including Asia, Europe, North America, Mexico and Cuba. It is a true survivor and nature’s vacuum cleaner in the water.

The greater bladderworts are showy yellow, two-lipped flowers. They have a conical spur and appear above the water like a periscope on a leafless terminal spike that puts off a sweet nectar smell and attracts many insects that help in pollination. But the real show is blow the water surface.

Unique root system

The root system of the greater bladderwort has multi-layered roots that spread out and contain tiny bladders that look like small berries. They may contain as many as 500 bladders on their roots system that eat thousands of tiny organisms every day. Most of the greater bladderworts sit near the bottom of the ponds, marshes or slow-moving streams. When the plant is ready to flower it floats to the top but the root system and bladders are still below the surface.

How they attract prey

The bladders release slimy mucus that smells sweet and lures small aquatic fishes and organisms even closer. The bladders have small openings surrounded by tiny hairs. When an unsuspecting victim brushes the tiny hairs of the bladder, a snapping mechanism is activated whereby the creature is sucked inside. Sometimes small fish and other aquatic creatures are attracted to the root system  and bladders in search of shelter from larger hunters. Once inside the bladder, the creatures cannot escape because the trap door shuts with no possible exit. When the victim dies, its soluble parts are absorbed by the plant.

 The bladder then reopens and the animal’s remains are expelled with the water. The trap is then ready for the next meal.