Discoveries

May 05, 2023

The Deadly Scent

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Carnivorous pitcher plants play a deadly waiting game when feeding themselves: These tubular florae attract insects to their petal-like leaves and then trap them inside their long, narrow cavity.

Botanists and scientists have long wondered how these plants do it.

Now, a new study has discovered that these hungry plants emit odors to attract different kinds of insects to achieve a deadly outcome, Smithsonian Magazine reported.

Researchers focused on the Sarracenia subset that primarily lives in the bogs of the southeastern United States and doesn’t discriminate in its choice of insects, which includes bees, moths, and flies.

They analyzed the volatile organic compounds (VOC) produced by 16 laboratory-grown trumpet pitcher plants representing four different species. Different blends of VOCs can produce diverse odors.

The team then compared the odor formulas with the type of insect found inside the plant. They found that the plants would produce a specific scent cocktail to attract certain bugs.

For example, the plants generated monoterpenes and benzenoids – compounds emitted by flowers and fruits – to attract more pollinators, like bees and moths. To lure ants, they produced fatty acid chemicals.

The authors said these carnivorous plants “are not simple passive plants with random captures, and that they can target their prey.”

The authors added that the study can also assist in developing new methods to control pests with different odors.

This story originally appeared in the May 05, 2023 newsletter, Bona Fides and Possibilities.