The Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)

The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant native to the east coasts of North and South Carolina and populations of flytraps are now growing in Northern Florida.

It’s a cousin of the Sundew, which is another carnivorous plant which uses sticky dew to trap insects and the Aldrovanda vesiculosa, an aquatic species that traps tadpoles and aquatic insects and microorganisms. Flytraps grow well in nitrogen and phosphorus poor soils. Despite this, they are not easy to grow and care for.

They use those spiked teeth-looking things to provide an additional source of nutrition to their diet. Despite its strange diet, flytraps actually photosynthesize, just like other green plants. Venus flytraps are actually flowering plants!

The Venus flytrap is so awesome. It inspired the alien concept in this movie: