What does a Sarracenia actually catch?
Prey in nature and in our gardens
From ants and blowflies to moths and wasps: the trumpet pitcher plant's trapping strategy under the microscope
Sarracenia is a genus of carnivorous plants native to the United States and Canada. Most species grow on the East Coast, in open bogs often surrounded by pine forests. In these nutrient-poor, wet soils, they can absorb extra nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) through their pitchers by catching and digesting small insects and other prey. But what exactly do these pitchers catch? And does it differ between nature and a garden in Belgium or the Netherlands?
Prey in nature
The composition of the catch differs remarkably between species. Not every Sarracenia targets the same prey.
| Species | Main prey | Special feature |
|---|---|---|
| S. rubra | Ants, non-flying insects | Low, narrow pitchers; efficient for ground insects |
| S. minor | Ants, non-flying insects | Has translucent spots ("false exits") that disorient insects |
| S. psittacina | Ants, aquatic organisms | Fish-trap shape: can actively catch organisms in water |
| S. flava | Flies, beetles, wasps, ants | Large pitchers; produces coniine (anesthetic) in the pitcher |
| S. leucophylla | Flies, moths, butterflies, ants | White hood specifically attracts moths |
| S. alata | Flies, beetles, ants | Similar to S. flava in trapping strategy |
| S. purpurea | Ants, beetles, various insects | Low, open pitcher; no hood, acts more as a rainwater basin |
Present in the catch of almost all species. Attracted by nectar along the outside of the pitcher.
Dominant in larger species like S. flava and S. leucophylla. Attracted by scent.
Regularly found in larger pitchers, especially ground beetles following the nectar.
Especially with S. leucophylla. Only a small proportion of the total catch, but remarkably species-specific.
Rarely caught and in very small numbers. No measurable effect on bee populations demonstrated.
Hardly caught by Sarracenia. Mosquitoes are better caught by Drosera (sundews).
Prey in Belgium and the Netherlands
In our climate zone, Sarracenia mainly catch flies, ants, and wasps, depending on the species and location. A question I often get: how many flies can such a trumpet pitcher plant actually catch?
It's difficult to give an exact number, but these plants have evolved over thousands of years and are very efficient at what they do. If the plant is outdoors or in an unheated greenhouse, the pitchers are often full by the end of summer, with as many as 100 large blowflies per pitcher being no exception.
Remarkably: even if there are several thousand carnivorous plants together, as in our greenhouse, almost all plants still catch well. There is apparently no depletion of the local insect supply at normal plant densities.
Catch in practice
Rough indications for a mature plant outdoors or in an unheated greenhouse, late summer:
See for yourself: a full pitcher up close
Below is a video of a cross-section of a Sarracenia flava pitcher from our greenhouse. These aren't small mosquitoes — these are large blowflies.
Want a trumpet pitcher plant in your garden?
Hardy Sarracenia are surprisingly easy to grow outdoors in Belgium and the Netherlands, and catch prey throughout the season. View our cultivated assortment.
View our Sarracenia rangeReferences
- Fish, D. (1976). Insect-plant relationships of the insectivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia minor. Florida Entomologist, 199–203.
- Harvard Forest. (2020). Sarraceniaceae captures. Retrieved from https://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/sarraceniaceae-captures.
- Heard, S. B. (1998). Capture rates of invertebrate prey by the pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea L. The American Midland Naturalist, 139(1), 79–89.
- Horner, J. D. (2014). Phenology and pollinator-prey conflict in the carnivorous plant, Sarracenia alata. The American Midland Naturalist, 171(1), 153–156.
- Jürgens, A., Sciligo, A., Witt, T., El-Sayed, A. M., & Suckling, D. M. (2012). Pollinator-prey conflict in carnivorous plants. Biological Reviews, 87(3), 602–615.
- McPherson, S., & Schnell, D. E. (2011). Sarraceniaceae of North America. Redfern Natural History Productions.
- Wray, D. L., & Brimley, C. S. (1943). The insect inquilines and victims of pitcher plants in North Carolina. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 36(1), 128–137.
📸 What's in your pitchers?
Curious what your Sarracenia has caught by the end of summer? Cut open a pitcher and send your photo to killian@dupontflora.com, who knows, your catch might be featured in a future article!
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