Butterworts

Click here or on the picture below to find out more.

What are Butterworts?

Where do they live?

What do they eat?

How do they catch their prey?

How do they survive winter?

What is there genus?

Take me back to the picture.

Butterworts are long, greasy, cup-like plants.

back to the questions

These plants live in many places, mostly in the northern hemisphere. There are about 50 to 60 species.

back to the questions

These plants eat flies, grasshoppers, spiders, and other small insects. A butterwort takes about 2 or 3 days to fully digest its prey; but, the plant doesn’t eat the hard parts (wings, bones).

back to the questions

There is a slight mushroom-like flower that attracts the prey to the plants. When the prey flies onto the plant, it gets stuck in an oozing liquid that digests the insect.

back to the questions

During winter, the Butterwort's leaves die off and only little bulbs are left that grow new leaves in spring, but these bulbs are a favorite snack for mice. Butterworts also use another method. Sometimes Butterworts keep all their leaves during winter and survive.

back to the questions

Their genus is Pinguicula vulgaris.

back to the questions