western australia

No wonder insects find this sundew irresistible

@JudyEv (339432)

Rockingham, Australia

October 5, 2016 4:02am CST

I had to share this beautiful photo of Vince's of a sundew. There are at least 194 species of these and they are found in every continent bar Antarctica. The official name is 'Drosera' which comes from the Greek for 'dew' or 'dewdrops'. The common name 'sundew' is derived from the Latin for 'dew of the sun'. Both these names refer to the glistening drops of gooey stuff at the tip of each tentacle. I'm sure you've all seen examples of these plants with their sticky secretions. Insects are attracted to the mucilage and become trapped. Once digested, the insect supplements the poor mineral content of the soil.

28 people like this

27 responses

@Inlemay (17713)

• South Africa

5 Oct 16

First of all - tell Vince that is a stunning photo - just beautiful dewdrops and I love the Greek word - you know how much I love anything Greek!

4 people like this

@xFiacre (12966)

• Ireland

5 Oct 16

@inlemay You're not even having to wait till Friday for something Greek this week!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Oct 16

He has lots of nice comments on a wildflower FB site but I will certainly tell him. Thanks.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Oct 16

@xFiacre Friday has come early this week.

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@LadyDuck (471253)

• Switzerland

5 Oct 16

Oh my Judy, this photo is beautiful, ma compliments to Vince. I am also not surprised that the insect are attracted by such a beauty.

3 people like this

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@LadyDuck (471253)

• Switzerland

6 Oct 16

@JudyEv I would love to have an evening dress like this, I love the colors.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

The sparkles look like tiny diamonds. I can imagine an evening dress in these colours and covered in tiny sparkles.

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@The_Bong_Woman (850)

•

3 Jan 17

@LadyDuck I would feel like a princess wearing an evening dress made up of those tiny sparkling diamonds and those vibrant hues!

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@sueznewz2 (10409)

• Alicante, Spain

5 Oct 16

Please tell vince ...what a beautiful photo.... but I must admit... I feel a tiny bit sorry for the insect...ending up as soil mineral supplement....

2 people like this

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@sueznewz2 (10409)

• Alicante, Spain

6 Oct 16

@JudyEv indeed.... I would feel less sad...if a spider was to come to a sticky end...lol....

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

@sueznewz2 Haha. That's true. Maybe the sundew is nature's flypaper.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

Thanks I will. Some insects come to a sticky end, don't they? :)

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@JamesHxstatic (29413)

• Eugene, Oregon

6 Oct 16

What a way to go! We both found this interesting.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

It is only tiny when it's on the ground but blown up like this it is just stupendous. Words nearly fail me - and that doesn't happen too often.

1 person likes this

@DianneN (247186)

• United States

5 Oct 16

Those are absolutely gorgeous as is the photo!

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@DianneN (247186)

• United States

6 Oct 16

@JudyEv I believe you'll need more walls soon!

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@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

I think it is another one I could just about have on the wall.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

@DianneN That's very true. We might divide the house up a bit. :)

1 person likes this

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (317040)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

5 Oct 16

Very interesting. Beautiful photo.

2 people like this

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (317040)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

10 Oct 16

@JudyEv Yes they do.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

The individual flowers are tiny but blown up like this they look so lovely.

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@Shavkat (139672)

• Philippines

5 Oct 16

That's a great snapshot. We don't have like this in my country. I just only appreciated through photos.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Oct 16

The sundews come in many different shapes and forms. Mother Nature is very wily isn't she?

@Carmelanirel2 (8084)

• United States

5 Oct 16

Whoa! That is a beautiful picture, I never heard of these flowers, I will have to look them up. And, I forgot to mention in my post, I love your new profile picture.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

Glad you like the photo - and my new profile. Thanks. :)

1 person likes this

@xFiacre (12966)

• Ireland

5 Oct 16

@judyev Clever nature. Isn't mucilage such a lovely word!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Oct 16

Not in my book. I'm not fond of mucous or mucilage or any of its variations.

@Freelanzer (10743)

• Canada

5 Oct 16

So beautiful. Vince is quite the photographer.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

It gives him something to do if he isn't so interested in what else is going on. :)

@acelawrites (19272)

• Philippines

5 Oct 16

It looks beautiful but deadly; could it be like the carnivorous pitcher plant?

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Oct 16

I think it is of the same family. There are many of these of various sorts.

@teamfreak16 (43418)

• Denver, Colorado

5 Oct 16

I've seen something similar in Panama, but not nearly as pretty.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

Maybe if it were blown up it would be as pretty as this one. It is blown up here.

@5thHouse (1678)

• Sheffield, England

5 Oct 16

The drops look very attractive. I thought they were raindrops at first!

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

This photo is blown up a bit but it blew me away - all the tiny, sparkling drops.

@CoolPeace (1566)

• Miami, Florida

5 Oct 16

I never seen this before and it is beautiful.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Oct 16

In the wild the plant is very small and you don't take a lot of notice of it but when the photo was enlarged the detail is just lovely.

1 person likes this

@vandana7 (100214)

• India

3 Jan 17

I have never seen this plant, it looks like a lot of diamonds...or water droplets being held up. Beautiful.

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@vandana7 (100214)

• India

3 Jan 17

@JudyEv ... me too...even a print like that would be good...

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

3 Jan 17

Isn't it gorgeous? I'd love an evening dress made from material like this.

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@SIMPLYD (90722)

• Philippines

7 Oct 16

Wow, that is just so beautiful , for a flower . I haven't seen one yet in real life . Do those dew on the tips fall off ?

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@SIMPLYD (90722)

• Philippines

7 Oct 16

@JudyEv Oh that is sad for the insects though .

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Oct 16

Although it looks like dew, it is actually sticky. When an insect lands on the flower, it can't get away and the plant absorbs it as food.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Oct 16

@SIMPLYD It's a big tough world out there. :)

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@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

17 Oct 16

I was thinking what pretty dew! wild that it comes with gooey bug eating stuff!

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@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

2 Nov 16

@JudyEv it really does

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@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

2 Nov 16

Looks pretty innocent doesn't it? :)

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crazyhorseladycx

@crazyhorseladycx (39509)

• United States

8 Oct 16

wow! don't reckon we've got any 'f 'ts kin 'round here? seems y'all've quite a few 'carnivores' growin' there. thanks fer 'nother informative article :)

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crazyhorseladycx

@crazyhorseladycx (39509)

• United States

30 May 17

@JudyEv no frettin', ms. judy. i miss schtuff all the time :) missed months'n end 'f notifications due to my absence 'n i don't get such via email. ya know, coz that'd require me to read my emails?? sigh... thank heavens 'tis a wee carnivore, eh? helps keep the balance 'f nature'n place :)

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 May 17

I don't know how I missed this back in October. I keep finding comments I missed. This 'carnivore' only takes very small prey!

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@The_Bong_Woman (850)

•

3 Jan 17

The photograph is so beautiful! No wonder they provide for a wonderful attraction for those poor insects!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

3 Jan 17

That's true. What could resist them?

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@The_Bong_Woman (850)

•

3 Jan 17

@JudyEv Yes, indeed they are irresistible. Poor things they fall for such a fatal attraction.

1 person likes this

@RitzzView (3035)

• India

6 Oct 16

Beautiful photograph. Are you the photographer?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Oct 16

My husband takes most of the photographs that I use although I am taking more and more myself now.

@JudyEv (339432)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Oct 16

@RitzzView This is one of Vince's. I wish it were one of mine.