Just realized pitcher plants eat more than bugs in the wild

I was reading this random blog about carnivorous plants and found out some big pitcher plants in Borneo actually digest tree shrew poop too. It blew my mind because I always thought they just trapped insects and that was it. Has anyone here seen this happen in person or know what species do that?

2 comments

2 Comments

derekp701d ago

Yeah and don't forget the whole toilet bowl thing with Nepenthes rajah, it's basically a giant pot for tree shrews to poop in while they lick nectar off the lid. They get a meal and the shrew gets a snack bar, it's a win win for everyone. Pretty wild how some species even have those special ridges on the lid that guide the shrew right where it needs to sit.

richardharris1d ago

Bro, did you see the video of the bat that sleeps inside the pitcher and the plant just lets it chill there cause it gets guano in return? I swear nature is just a bunch of roommates cutting deals with each other. Saw one where ants live right on the rim and they push away bugs trying to get in, almost like they're paid security guards for the plant.