Why insectivorous plants are attractively coloured
Answers
Plants which eat insects are called insectivorous plants. They trap the insects to derive nitrogen, carbohydrates and other nutrients from them. So their color and shape is suitable to attract insects.
For example, the leaf in a pitcher plant has the shape of a pitcher. The insects get attracted to it because of its bright color. When they peep into the pitcher shaped structure to get the water they get caught in it.
The plants which derive most or some of their nutrients from trapping and eating insects, arthropods, protozoans etc. are called as Carnivorous plants or Insectivorous plants.
The insectivorous plants grow in areas with low nutrition in the soil and so they depend on other sources of nutrients.
Most of the insectivorous plants are brightly colored. This is because they need to attract and trick the insects to come to them. Once the insects come close to the plants, they trap them using different mechanisms.
Examples of insectivorous plants are Venus flytrap, Pitcher plants, Utricularia, Rafflesia and Drosera.