Sundew Plants

Sundew plants are carnivorous plants that catch insects with sticky droplets on their leaves. The droplets glisten in the sunlight like morning dew, which is how the plant got its name. When an insect lands on a sundew, it gets stuck and cannot escape.

Sticky Traps

Sundew leaves are covered with tiny hairs, each tipped with a sticky droplet. When a bug lands on the leaf, it gets stuck in the glue. The more the insect struggles, the more stuck it gets. Then the leaf slowly curls around the insect to digest it.

Found Around the World

There are about 200 species of sundew plants found on every continent except Antarctica. They grow in bogs, swamps, and sandy soil. Some are tiny, only an inch across. Others can grow several feet tall. Charles Darwin called the sundew the most wonderful plant in the world.

Fun Facts

• The sticky glue on a sundew is 100 times stickier than the glue on a sticky note.
• Charles Darwin was fascinated by sundews and spent months studying them.
• Some sundew plants can catch insects in less than one second.

Did You Know?

Sundew plants are found on every continent except Antarctica! There are about 200 species, making them one of the largest groups of carnivorous plants in the world.