Metamorphosis

Changing Form As You Grow

Monarch butterfly complete metamorphosis: zygote (“egg”)

http://www.monarchwatch.org/update/2003/egg_glue1.jpg

Danaus plexippus

Monarch butterfly complete metamorphosis: larva

Danaus plexippus

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The Milkweed Plant is the host for the larva of the monarch butterfly.

The plant produces a poison to keep animals from feeding on its leaves.

But the monarch caterpillar can feed on this plant, and it uses the poison from the plant to protect itself from birds who like to eat caterpillars.

Asclepias - milkweed

Monarch butterfly complete metamorphosis: larva

Danaus plexippus

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Monarch butterfly complete metamorphosis: larva

Danaus plexippus

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Monarch butterfly complete metamorphosis: pupa

Danaus plexippus

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Monarch butterfly complete metamorphosis: adult

Danaus plexippus

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Monarch butterfly complete metamorphosis: adult

Danaus plexippus

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Asclepias - Milkweed and Monarchs

Animals Eating PlantsLaval Caterpillar

Adult Butterfly

Plants Eating Animals“Carnivorous Plants”

Drosera filiformis is a species of sundew found in acid bogs along the southeastern costal areas. This one lives in NJ.

The acid water does not allow this plant to remove minerals from the boggy soil, so this and many similar plants have evolved a carnivorous lifestyle.

The leaves attract, attach, and digest animals alive to mine their bodies of minerals. The leaves do not retrieve carbon or energy from the animal, just mineral elements normally obtained by plants from soil.`

Drosera rotundifolia is the more-common sundew in CT

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Drosera (sundew) uses sticky pads that look like nectaries but are actually glandular hairs secreting botanical “super glue” with digestive enzymes:

Remember that carnivorous plants are not eating insects for energy or carbon…

they are mining the insect bodies for minerals unavailable from the acidic bog soil.

Sarracennia purpurea digests animals in rainwater held in pitcher-like leaves

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Saracennia (pitcher plant) leaves hold water to drown insects and mine their bodies for minerals

Soil pH is less than 4

Dionaea muscipula is a Carolina species

It is rare and endangered today!

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Dionaea (Venus’ fly trap) leaves have evolved three trip hairs on each half-blade, an electrical potential is produced, osmosis causes the trap to snap shut, This fly is about to touch the second trip hair…

Soil pH is less than 4

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The trap halves have folded together, and the marginal spines have turned inward…the compound action makes an effective trap…have you ever tried to catch a fly?

Utricularia is an aquatic carnivorous plant, each bladder having a trap door to suck in swimming animals

Bladderwort is very common in CT lakes!

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/images/commonbladderwort/utricularia_macrorhiza_bladders_lg.jpg

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Do Humans Eat Plants?

Do Plants Eat Humans?

Do Humans have Metamorphosis?