Arareflowerisaboutto bloom inarainforestinthecountryofSumatra.Ithasbeengrowingfornineyears.Theblossomwillopenfor48hours.Duringthistime,itneedstobe pollinatedsonewflowerswill grow.

Theinsideoftheflowerisdeepred.But,it’sthesmellthatyounotice.Thecorpseflowersmellslikedecayanddirtydiapers.Itsbadsmellsignalsafreemeal.Insectslandontheflower.Theypollinateitastheysearchfor food.

Aflyseesaflashofred.Itlandsonthestickyredsurface.Now,it’sinsideahingedleaf.Inasecond,theleafsnapsshutlikeamouth.Spikyedgesoftheleafactlikeafence.Theflytriestocrawlout.But,it’snouse.IthasbeencaughtbyaVenusflytrap.And,it’sonitswaytobeing eaten!

Mostplantsgetnutrientsfromthesoilandair.But,theseplantsliveinpoorsoil.Theycan’tgetthenutrientstheyneed.So,theygetfoodanotherway.Theyeatlive prey.

Theplant’s leavesarehingedlikeaclamshell.Insidearehairsthatsensemotion.Whenaninsectmovesonit,theleafsnapsshut.Ittrapsthe insect.

Chemicalsintheplantbreakdownthesoftpartsoftheinsect.Nutrientsaretakenin.Thentheleavesopen,andtheunwantedpartsfall out.